Health differences between older migrants and non-migrants in Europe: the role of integration policies and public attitudes towards migration and migrants (2004-2013)

Integration policies and attitudes towards migration and migrants have so far received little attention when studying health differences between migrants and non-migrants. Our aim is to incorporate these dimensions to explain health differences between migrants and non-migrants aged 50 to 79 across 10 European countries. We assessed differences in health using a variety of indicators: overall self-rated health, hypertension, diabetes, and depression. We used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE); the European Social Survey (ESS); and the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). We performed multivariate logistic regressions to explain health differences between older migrants and non-migrants according to integration policies and attitudes towards migration and migrants, while considering the role of socio-economic status and BMI. Migrants had higher odds of poor self-rated health and depression as compared to non-migrants. Non-western migrants had higher odds of diabetes than non-migrants. Female western migrants had higher odds of hypertension than their non-migrant counterparts. Less multicultural policies and restrictive attitudes towards migration and migrants were associated with poor health both among migrants and non-migrants. In light of these results, developing more multicultural policies and setting campaigns in favour of migrant integration might benefit European societies as a whole.