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Paul Norman, University of Leeds, Paul Boyle, University of St Andrews and Corinne Camilleri-Ferrante, University of Cambridge
(Project no. 10347)
Migration is a selective process influenced by many factors including an individual's age and health. Disease and death rates (eg SMRs) for an area may be biased by this selectivity since potentially both the numerator event data will be affected if an area receives or loses high numbers of unhealthy migrants, as well as the denominator if an area receives or loses certain demographic subsets so that the age structure of the population at risk is changed.
In addition, the nature of the conditions experienced at both origin and destination may affect both the propensity to migrate as well as an individual's health. Empirical evidence is needed to determine the extent to which migrants may be biasing the reported health statistics in an area and whether or not certain types of area 'attract' people with good or poor health.
The main aim of this study is to determine the difference in health and mortality experience between migrants and non-migrants within GB controlling for age-sex structure, origin and destination deprivation level and variables to indicate individual-level deprivation.
A particular focus is on generic area type rather than on specific geographical location.
Research questions to be addressed include:
1. Does the age/sex structure of migrants differ from non-migrants?
2. What type of origin and destination locations do migrants move from and to?
3. In or post-1991, what has been the health experience of persons in different types of locations and does this experience differ between migrants and non-migrants?
4. Does individual-level deprivation affect the propensity to migrate?
5. Does individual-level deprivation in 1981 and/or 1991 affect the health status of migrants and non-migrants?