Health and mortality inequalities among adolescents and young adults in the Brussels-Capital Region: Differences according to nationality of origin and migration history

Onderzoeksoutput: Meeting abstract (Book)

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This study examines and quantifies differences in both self-rated health and all-cause mortality according to nationality of origin, migration history and educational level among adolescents and young adults (aged 15-34) living in the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR).
Young adulthood and especially adolescence are often assumed to be the healthiest life stages (Blum, 2009), but they also imply a time of adapting risky lifestyles, thinking of drug and alcohol abuse, unsafe sex, unhealthy eating patterns, etc. Those health risks are not evenly spread in the population. Especially vulnerable are those who are at the bottom of the social ladder, of whom a non-negligible share is of foreign descent. Poor health, both physically and mentally, is widely observed among ethnic minorities (Smith et al., 2000), such as Maghrebins and Turks (Bos et al. 2004).
Poor health is also an indicator for premature death, even in younger populations (Breidablik et al. 2008). European research found an increase in adolescent and young adult mortality (Borrell et al. 2001; Heuveline & Slap 2002). In overviews of all-cause mortality, ethnic differences are almost never included, especially at younger ages. The pattern between health and mortality seems somewhat contradictory for certain ethnic minorities (Bos et al. 2004), e.g. Moroccan and Turkish migrants generally have poorer health than the native population, but lower mortality (Nielsen & Krasnik 2010).
The following research questions will be dealt with:
1) Are there differences in self-rated health and all-cause mortality between the native young population and those of foreign descent?
2) Does self-reported health and all-cause mortality differ between the migration generations, and do the second-generation migrants tend to converge to the native population?
Originele taal-2English
TitelPaper presented at the 4th Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health in Europe
Plaats van productieMilan, Italy
StatusPublished - 21 jun 2012

Publicatie series

NaamFacts beyond figures: Communi-Care for Migrants and Ethnic Minorities

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