Darlington, F., Norman, P. & Ballas, D. (2014) British Society for Population Studies, Univ of Winchester, UK, 8 - 10 September 2014 [ONS LS]

Other information:
Abstract:

Increasing ethnic diversity in society dictates that research focused on understanding the nature of observed ethnic differences in health is timely, particularly given the widening of health gradients between some groups. Thus, this paper investigates an under-explored theory which may help explain health gradients, particularly ethnic health gradients. Migration is inherently selective: characteristics of migrants are very different from those of non-migrants, and health is an important characteristic which influences migration propensity. Mobility or immobility of differently healthy groups may therefore influence health gradients through the sorting of people into certain areas or socioeconomic circumstances based on their health status. Such a process of selective migration is likely to often coincide with social mobility whereby movement between spaces coincides with movement within the social hierarchy. If propensity for favourable migration and/or social mobility is constrained by disadvantage and poor health, any concentration of an ethnic group in adverse circumstances may help explain observed ethnic differences in health. Using longitudinal data from the 1991, 2001 and 2011 census, the analysis reveals whether propensity to migrate or for social mobility varies by ethnicity, age and health status. This indicates whether a selective process operates and if ethnicity, age or health are functioning as selection criteria. Methods used will include transition matrixes, calculation of illness ratios by transition category, and logistic regression. A working dataset is defined and initial ‘all-person’ models have been run. Further exploration by ethnicity will be completed during the next few months.

Available online: Link
Output from project: 0301634