title: Testing healthy immigrant effects among late life immigrants in the United States: using multiple indicators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study tested a healthy immigrant effect (HIE) and postimmigration health status changes among late life immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using three waves of the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (1994-2000) and the linked mortality file through 2006, this study compared (a) chronic health conditions, (b) longitudinal trajectories of self-rated health, (c) longitudinal trajectories of functional impairments, and (d) mortality between three groups (age 70+): (i) late life immigrants with less than 15 years in the United States (n = 133), (ii) longer term immigrants (n = 672), and (iii) U.S.-born individuals (n = 8,642). Logistic and Poisson regression, hierarchical generalized linear modeling, and survival analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Late life immigrants were less likely to suffer from cancer, had lower numbers of chronic conditions at baseline, and displayed lower hazards of mortality during the 12-year follow-up. However, their self-rated health and functional status were worse than those of their counterparts over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A HIE was only partially supported among older adults.
authors: University of Tennessee at Knoxville, TN, USA. schoi12@utk.edu
authors: Sunha H
authors: SH
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States