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Ethnic health inequalities in Europe. The moderating and amplifying role of healthcare system characteristics

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  • Blom, Niels
  • Huijts, Tim
  • Kraaykamp, Gerbert

Abstract

Health inequalities between ethnic majority and ethnic minority members are prevalent in contemporary European societies. In this study we used theories on socioeconomic deprivation and intersectionality to derive expectations on how ethnic inequalities in health may be exacerbated or mitigated by national healthcare policies. To test our hypotheses we used data from six waves of the European Social Survey (2002–2012) on 172,491 individuals living in 24 countries. In line with previous research, our results showed that migrants report lower levels of health than natives. In general a country's healthcare expenditure appears to reduce socioeconomic differences in health, but at the same time induces health differences between recent migrants and natives. We also found that specific policies aimed at reducing socioeconomic inequalities in health appeared to work as intended, but as a side-effect amplified differences between natives and recent migrants in self-assessed health and well-being. Finally, our results indicated that policies specifically directed at the improvement of migrants' health, only affected well-being for migrants who have lived in the receiving country for more than 10 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Blom, Niels & Huijts, Tim & Kraaykamp, Gerbert, 2016. "Ethnic health inequalities in Europe. The moderating and amplifying role of healthcare system characteristics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 43-51.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:158:y:2016:i:c:p:43-51
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.014
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    Cited by:

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    2. Feras Kasabji & Alaa Alrajo & Ferenc Vincze & László Kőrösi & Róza Ádány & János Sándor, 2020. "Self-Declared Roma Ethnicity and Health Insurance Expenditures: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Investigation at the General Medical Practice Level in Hungary," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Gkiouleka, Anna & Huijts, Tim, 2020. "Intersectional migration-related health inequalities in Europe: Exploring the role of migrant generation, occupational status & gender," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    4. Håvard T Rydland & Erlend L Fjær & Terje A Eikemo & Tim Huijts & Clare Bambra & Claus Wendt & Ivana Kulhánová & Pekka Martikainen & Chris Dibben & Ramunė Kalėdienė & Carme Borrell & Mall Leinsalu & Ma, 2020. "Educational inequalities in mortality amenable to healthcare. A comparison of European healthcare systems," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-17, July.

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