Occupational status and health insurance among immigrants: effects by generation, length of residence in U.S., and race.
BACKGROUND
The occupational mobility of immigrants may be an important link between length of US residence/generation and health insurance status.


METHODS
2003 and 2005 Current Population Survey data are analyzed to assess the relationship between occupation and length of residence/generation and their association with health insurance for immigrant workers. Using a decomposition method, we measure how much of the differences in coverage are due to length of residence/generation versus occupation.


RESULTS
Newly-arrived immigrants have lower insurance rates across all occupations, compared to longer-settled immigrants and native-born persons. Improvements are observed among immigrants with longer length of residence while the second generation reaches parity with the third+ generations. Coverage differs by occupation, with high-skilled occupations maintaining high levels and lower-skilled occupations experiencing the largest gains. While differences in coverage are mostly due to shifts in length of residence, occupational attainment makes significant contributions-particularly among Hispanics.


CONCLUSIONS
The inclusion of occupational status increases understanding of the role that length of residence/generation plays in determining insurance status.
Kao
Dennis T
DT
School of Social Work and the Population Dynamics Research Group, University of Southern California, 3518 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0626, USA. denniska@usc.edu
Park
Julie
J
Min
SeongHee
S
Myers
Dowell
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016272:Occupational Health; D016017:Odds Ratio; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
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