Health Determinants of Ageing Migrants

Health Determinants of Ageing Migrants
Migration is regarded as a potentially stressful event.
Yet, the ability to cope with a new environment and to
adapt to a new socio-cultural sign system is unequally
distributed in the migration population. It is important
to recognize this heterogeneity when assessing
potential health care problems of ageing migrants
and when establishing health and social care programmes
for these migrants. Varieties are associated
with the migrants’ socio-cultural background (urban
areas/remote areas/religion) and with the reasons for
migration. The following social and health-related risks in the intersection
of old age ( socio-cultural definitions of old age) and
migration are of special relevance for this population group:
• Low average incomes and high dependency rates on welfare
• Objective and subjective health problems and early
ageing due to the effects of dirty and heavy work
• Health risks related to unfavorable housing areas
• Mental and psychological health problems resulting
from migration-related experiences and hardships
• Psychosocial stress due to experiences of discrimination,
maladaptation to the host country and an experience of having failed original objectives of the
migration
• Experience of being stereotyped and lack of interculturally adequate institutional support in age- and
health-related questions (also migrants, diversity management)
• Intergenerational conflicts as the second and third generation tend to cultivate life styles similar to the indigenous population. Yet, family networks as well as interethnic networks tend to be more reliable and supportive than those of the indigenous population
• Isolation in ethnic groups and tendencies of enhancing ethnicity and culture.