Examining Pre-migration Health Among Filipino Nurses.
The healthy immigrant hypothesis asserts that immigrants arrive in the receiving country healthier than same race/ethnic counterparts born there. Contemporary research, however, has not evaluated pre-migration health among migrants, nor has explicitly considered comparisons with non-migrants in the country of origin. Pre-migration health was examined among 621 Filipino nurses, including self-reported physical health, mental health, health behaviors, and social stress. Measures were compared by intention to migrate and also tested as predictors of actual migration using time-to-event analysis. Nurses intending to migrate had higher proportion of depression and reported higher general perceived stress compared to those not. Predictors of actual migration included age, mentally unhealthy days, social strain, and social support. Physical health and health behavior measures had no association with migration intention or actual migration. Findings suggest that, relative to those not intending to migrate, nurses intending to migrate have worse mental health status and social stress; and, do not have a physical health advantage. Future research must span the pre- to post-migration continuum to better understand the impact of moving from one country to another on health and well-being.
School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington - Bothell, Box 358532, Bothell, WA, 98011-8246, USA. BdeCastro@uwb.edu.
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AB
de Castro
School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Gilbert
G
Gee
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Kaori
K
Fujishiro
School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Tessa
T
Rue
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology
Health; Mental health; Migration; Nurses; Philippines