The Healthy Immigrant Effect: Patterns and Evidence from Four Countries

摘要: The existence of a healthy immigrant effect—where immigrants are on average healthier than the native born—is widely cited phenomenon across multitude literatures including epidemiology and social sciences. There many competing explanations. goals this paper twofold: first, to provide further evidence presence effect source destination country using set consistently defined measures health; second, evaluate role selectivity as potential explanation for phenomenon. Utilizing data from four major recipient countries, USA, Canada, UK, Australia allows us compare health migrants each with respective born who choose not migrate. This represents much more appropriate counterfactual yields new insights into importance observable selection effects. analysis finds strong support all countries that plays an important in observed better vis those stay behind their origin.