American Journal of Public Health, Vol 91, Issue 3 392-399, Copyright © 2001 by American Public Health Association

JOURNAL ARTICLE

All-cause and cause-specific mortality of immigrants and native born in the United States

GK Singh and M Siahpush
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Executive Plaza North, Suite 343, 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7352, Bethesda, MD 20892-7352, USA. gopal_singh@nih.gov

OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether US-born people and immigrants 25 years or older differ in their risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality and whether these differentials, if they exist, vary according to age, sex, and race/ethnicity. METHODS: Using data from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (1979-1989), we derived mortality risks of immigrants relative to those of US-born people by using a Cox regression model after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, urban/rural residence, education, occupation, and family income. RESULTS: Immigrant men and women had, respectively, an 18% and 13% lower risk of overall mortality than their US-born counterparts. Reduced mortality risks were especially pronounced for younger and for Black and Hispanic immigrants. Immigrants showed significantly lower risks of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, lung and prostate cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, cirrhosis, pneumonia and influenza, unintentional injuries, and suicide but higher risks of mortality from stomach and brain cancer and infectious diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality patterns for immigrants and for US-born people vary considerably, with immigrants experiencing lower mortality from several major causes of death. Future research needs to examine the role of sociocultural and behavioral factors in explaining the mortality advantage of immigrants.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Cook, M. Alegria, J. Y. Lin, and J. Guo Pathways and Correlates Connecting Latinos' Mental Health With Exposure to the United States Am J Public Health, December 1, 2009; 99(12): 2247 - 2254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Siahpush, G.K. Singh, P.R. Jones, and L.R. Timsina Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic variations in duration of smoking: results from 2003, 2006 and 2007 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey J Public Health, November 5, 2009; (2009) fdp104v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. K. Montez, M. D. Hayward, D. C. Brown, and R. A. Hummer Why Is the Educational Gradient of Mortality Steeper for Men? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci, September 1, 2009; 64B(5): 625 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. J. Dallo, F. A. Wilson, and J. P. Stimpson Quality of Diabetes Care for Immigrants in the U.S. Diabetes Care, August 1, 2009; 32(8): 1459 - 1463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Edelman, A. Christian, and L. Mosca Association of Acculturation Status With Beliefs, Barriers, and Perceptions Related to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities J Transcult Nurs, July 1, 2009; 20(3): 278 - 285. [Abstract] [PDF]

				I. R. Akresh and R. Frank Health Selection Among New Immigrants Am J Public Health, November 1, 2008; 98(11): 2058 - 2064. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Yu, Z. J. Huang, and M. D. Kogan State-Level Health Care Access and Use Among Children in US Immigrant Families Am J Public Health, November 1, 2008; 98(11): 1996 - 2003. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Vikanes, A. M. Grjibovski, S. Vangen, and P. Magnus Length of residence and risk of developing hyperemesis gravidarum among first generation immigrants to Norway Eur J Public Health, October 1, 2008; 18(5): 460 - 465. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Silventoinen, N. Hammar, E. Hedlund, M. Koskenvuo, T. Ronnemaa, and J. Kaprio Selective international migration by social position, health behaviour and personality Eur J Public Health, April 1, 2008; 18(2): 150 - 155. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. T. Kimbro, S. Bzostek, N. Goldman, and G. Rodriguez Race, Ethnicity, And The Education Gradient In Health Health Aff., March 1, 2008; 27(2): 361 - 372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. R. Akresh Dietary Assimilation and Health among Hispanic Immigrants to the United States Journal of Health and Social Behavior, December 1, 2007; 48(4): 404 - 417. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. M. Carlock Finding Information on Immigrant and Refugee Health J Transcult Nurs, October 1, 2007; 18(4): 373 - 379. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Dubowitz, S. A. Smith-Warner, D. Acevedo-Garcia, S.V. Subramanian, and K. E. Peterson Nativity and Duration of Time in the United States: Differences in Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Low-Income Postpartum Women Am J Public Health, October 1, 2007; 97(10): 1787 - 1790. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Frank, M. Cerda, and M. Rendon Barrios and Burbs: Residential Context and Health-Risk Behaviors among Angeleno Adolescents Journal of Health and Social Behavior, September 1, 2007; 48(3): 283 - 300. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. N. Mossakowski Are Immigrants Healthier? The Case of Depression among Filipino Americans Social Psychology Quarterly, September 1, 2007; 70(3): 290 - 304. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Eschbach, J. P. Stimpson, Y.-F. Kuo, and J. S. Goodwin Mortality of Foreign-Born and US-Born Hispanic Adults at Younger Ages: A Reexamination of Recent Patterns Am J Public Health, July 1, 2007; 97(7): 1297 - 1304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Raj, M. C. Santana, and L. E. Orloff Guest Editors' Introduction Violence Against Women, May 1, 2007; 13(5): 451 - 456. [PDF]

				G. K Singh and R. A Hiatt Trends and disparities in socioeconomic and behavioural characteristics, life expectancy, and cause-specific mortality of native-born and foreign-born populations in the United States, 1979-2003 Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2006; 35(4): 903 - 919. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. J. Huang, S. M. Yu, and R. Ledsky Health Status and Health Service Access and Use Among Children in U.S. Immigrant Families Am J Public Health, April 1, 2006; 96(4): 634 - 640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Saluja, R. A. Brenner, A. C. Trumble, G. S. Smith, T. Schroeder, and C. Cox Swimming Pool Drownings Among US Residents Aged 5-24 Years: Understanding Racial/Ethnic Disparities Am J Public Health, April 1, 2006; 96(4): 728 - 733. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I Stirbu, A E Kunst, V Bos, and E F van Beeck Injury mortality among ethnic minority groups in the Netherlands. J Epidemiol Community Health, March 1, 2006; 60(3): 249 - 255. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Albin, K. Hjelm, J. Ekberg, and S. Elmstahl Mortality among 723 948 foreign- and native-born Swedes 1970-1999 Eur J Public Health, October 1, 2005; 15(5): 511 - 517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. J. McCarthy, Y. Flores, H. Zheng, and T. L. Hanson IMMIGRANT GENERATIONAL STATUS AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH Am J Public Health, September 1, 2005; 95(9): 1494 - 1494. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Rodriguez, L. M. Ward, and E. J. Perez-Stable Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: Impact of Health Insurance Status, Ethnicity, and Nativity of Latinas Ann. Fam. Med, May 1, 2005; 3(3): 235 - 241. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Gomez, J. L. Kelsey, S. L. Glaser, M. M. Lee, and S. Sidney Immigration and Acculturation in Relation to Health and Health-Related Risk Factors Among Specific Asian Subgroups in a Health Maintenance Organization Am J Public Health, November 1, 2004; 94(11): 1977 - 1984. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. G. Schneider The Intersection of Mental and Physical Health in Older Mexican Americans Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, August 1, 2004; 26(3): 333 - 355. [Abstract] [PDF]

				I. Cuellar, E. Bastida, and S. M. Braccio Residency in the United States, Subjective Well-Being, and Depression in an Older Mexican-Origin Sample J Aging Health, August 1, 2004; 16(4): 447 - 466. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P M Krueger, S A Bond Huie, R G Rogers, and R A Hummer Neighbourhoods and homicide mortality: an analysis of race/ethnic differences J Epidemiol Community Health, March 1, 2004; 58(3): 223 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Yu, Z. J. Huang, and G. K. Singh Health Status and Health Services Utilization Among US Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, and Other Asian/Pacific Islander Children Pediatrics, January 1, 2004; 113(1): 101 - 107. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Lucas, D. J. Barr-Anderson, and R. S. Kington Health Status, Health Insurance, and Health Care Utilization Patterns of Immigrant Black Men Am J Public Health, October 1, 2003; 93(10): 1740 - 1747. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. K. Singh Area Deprivation and Widening Inequalities in US Mortality, 1969-1998 Am J Public Health, July 1, 2003; 93(7): 1137 - 1143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. D Inskip, R. E Tarone, E. E Hatch, T. C Wilcosky, H. A Fine, P. M Black, J. S Loeffler, W. R Shapiro, R. G Selker, and M. S Linet Sociodemographic indicators and risk of brain tumours Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2003; 32(2): 225 - 233. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E Regidor, M E Calle, V Dominguez, and P Navarro Inequalities in mortality in shrinking and growing areas J Epidemiol Community Health, December 1, 2002; 56(12): 919 - 921. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Aspinall Suicide amongst Irish Migrants in Britain: A Review of the Identity and Integration Hypothesis International Journal of Social Psychiatry, December 1, 2002; 48(4): 290 - 304. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. T. Harawa, T. A. Bingham, S. D. Cochran, S. Greenland, and W. E. Cunningham HIV Prevalence Among Foreign- and US-Born Clients of Public STD Clinics Am J Public Health, December 1, 2002; 92(12): 1958 - 1963. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Wrensch, Y. Minn, T. Chew, M. Bondy, and M. S. Berger Epidemiology of primary brain tumors: Current concepts and review of theliterature Neuro Oncology, October 1, 2002; 4(4): 278 - 299. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. K. Singh, B. A. Miller, B. F. Hankey, E. J. Feuer, and L. W. Pickle Changing Area Socioeconomic Patterns in U.S. Cancer Mortality, 1950-1998: Part I--All Cancers Among Men J Natl Cancer Inst, June 19, 2002; 94(12): 904 - 915. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. K. Singh, B. A. Miller, and B. F. Hankey Changing Area Socioeconomic Patterns in U.S. Cancer Mortality, 1950-1998: Part II--Lung and Colorectal Cancers J Natl Cancer Inst, June 19, 2002; 94(12): 916 - 925. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M S Kaplan, C Chang, J T Newsom, and B H McFarland Acculturation status and hypertension among Asian immigrants in Canada J Epidemiol Community Health, June 1, 2002; 56(6): 455 - 456. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. K Singh and M. Siahpush Increasing inequalities in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among US adults aged 25-64 years by area socioeconomic status, 1969-1998 Int. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2002; 31(3): 600 - 613. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. K. Finch, R. A. Hummer, M. Reindl, and W. A. Vega Validity of Self-rated Health among Latino(a)s Am. J. Epidemiol., April 15, 2002; 155(8): 755 - 759. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]