Journal Article

Moving Beyond Salmon Bias: Mexican Return Migration and Health Selection

Diaz, Christina J., Martinez-Donate, Ana P., Koning, Stephanie M.

2016

Overview

Despite having lower levels of education and limited access to health care services, Mexican immigrants report better health outcomes than U.S.–born individuals. Research suggests that the Mexican health advantage may be partially attributable to selective return migration among less healthy migrants—often referred to as \"salmon bias.\" Our study takes advantage of a rare opportunity to observe the health status of Mexican–origin males as they cross the Mexican border. To assess whether unhealthy migrants are disproportionately represented among those who return, we use data from two Californiabased studies: the California Health Interview Survey; and the Migrante Study, a survey that samples Mexican migrants entering and leaving the United States through Tijuana. We pool these data sources to look for evidence of healthrelated return migration. Results provide mixed support for salmon bias. Although migrants who report health limitations and frequent stress are more likely to return, we find little evidence that chronic conditions and self–reported health are associated with higher probabilities of return. Results also provide some indication that limited health care access increases the likelihood of return among the least healthy. This study provides new theoretical considerations of return migration and further elucidates the relationship between health and migration decisions.

• Publisher: Population Association of America (Springer),Springer US,Duke University Press, NC & IL
• Subject: Access / Adult / Bias / Chronic conditions / Chronic Disease - ethnology / Chronic diseases / Chronic illnesses / Clinical outcomes / Decisions / Demography / Deportation / Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data / Geography / Health care / Health care access / Health insurance / Health problems / Health services / Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data / Health services utilization / Health Status / Health surveys / Hispanic people / Hispanics / Humans / Hypotheses / Illnesses / IMMIGRANT HEALTH / Immigrants / Male / Medicine/Public Health / Mental health services / Mexican Americans / Mexican Americans - statistics & numerical data / Middle Aged / Migrants / Migration / Mortality / Mortality rates / Noncitizens / Paradoxes / Personal health / Polls & surveys / Population / Population Economics / Return migration / Salmon / Social privilege / Social Sciences / Socioeconomic Factors / Sociology / Stress / Studies / Time Factors / Transients and Migrants - statistics & numerical data / United States