title: Pathways between perceived discrimination and health among immigrants: evidence from a large national panel survey in Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Discrimination is an important determinant of health, and its experience may contribute to the emergence of health inequalities between immigrants and nonimmigrants. We examine pathways between perceived discrimination and health among immigrants in Germany: (1) whether perceptions of discrimination predict self-reported mental and physical health (SF-12), or (2) whether poor mental and physical health predict perceptions of discrimination, and (3) whether discrimination affects physical health via mental health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on immigrants come from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from the years 2002 to 2010 (N = 8,307), a large national panel survey. Random and fixed effects regression models have been estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceptions of discrimination affect mental and physical health. The effect of perceived discrimination on physical health is mediated by its effect on mental health. Our analyses do not support the notion that mental and physical health predict the subsequent reporting of discrimination. Different immigrant groups are differentially exposed to perceived discrimination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of anti-discrimination laws, the health of immigrants in Germany is negatively affected by perceived discrimination. Differential exposure to perceived discrimination may be seen as a mechanism contributing to the emergence of health inequalities in Germany.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , Bielefeld University , Bielefeld , Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schunck
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reiss
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Razum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010465:Perception; D011287:Prejudice; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Germany; discrimination; fixed effects; health; immigrants; longitudinal data analysis