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Age variations and population over-coverage: is low mortality among migrants merely a data artefact?

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  • Wallace, Matthew
  • Wilson, Ben

Abstract

The migrant mortality advantage has been observed extensively, but its authenticity is debated. In particular, concerns persist that the advantage is an artefact of the data, generated by the problems of recording mobility among foreign-born populations. Here, we build on the intersection of two recent developments: the first showing substantial age variation in the advantage-a deep U-shaped advantage at peak migration ages-and the second showing high levels of population over-coverage, the principal source of data artefact, at the same ages. We use event history analysis of Sweden's population registers (2010-15) to test whether this over-coverage can explain age variation in the migrant mortality advantage. We document its U-shape in Sweden and, crucially, demonstrate that large mortality differentials persist after adjusting for estimated over-coverage. Our findings contribute to ongoing debate by demonstrating that the migrant mortality advantage is real and by ruling out one of its primary mechanisms.

Suggested Citation

  • Wallace, Matthew & Wilson, Ben, 2022. "Age variations and population over-coverage: is low mortality among migrants merely a data artefact?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114300, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:114300
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/114300/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Astri Syse & Bjorn H. Strand & Oyvind Naess & Ólöf Anna Steingrímsdóttir & Bernadette N. Kumar, 2016. "Differences in all-cause mortality," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(22), pages 615-656.
    2. Cassio Turra & Irma Elo, 2008. "The Impact of Salmon Bias on the Hispanic Mortality Advantage: New Evidence from Social Security Data," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 27(5), pages 515-530, October.
    3. Ruiz, J.M. & Steffen, P. & Smith, T.B., 2013. "Hispanic mortality paradox: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the longitudinal literature," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(3), pages 52-60.
    4. Fernando Riosmena & Rebeca Wong & Alberto Palloni, 2013. "Migration Selection, Protection, and Acculturation in Health: A Binational Perspective on Older Adults," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(3), pages 1039-1064, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Debora Pricila Birgier & Christer Lundh & Yitchak Haberfeld & Erik Elldér, 2022. "Movers and Stayers: A Study of Emigration from Sweden 1993–2014," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 1033-1064, December.
    2. Julia Callaway & Cosmo Strozza & Eleonora Mussino & Sven Drefahl & Ilya Kashnitsky, 2024. "Mortality inequalities at retirement age between migrants and non-migrants in Denmark and Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 50(18), pages 473-502.
    3. Eleonora Mussino & Bruno Santos & Andrea Monti & Eleni Matechou & Sven Drefahl, 2024. "Multiple systems estimation for studying over-coverage and its heterogeneity in population registers," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(6), pages 5033-5056, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    censoring bias; data artefact/artifact; emigration; event history analysis; health; international migration; mortality; over-coverage; population registers; Sweden;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N0 - Economic History - - General

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