Indicator history

According to the study “Migration and Health” (Migration und Gesundheit) conducted by the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, a migration background cannot be considered as the determining variable causing illness or higher risk of morbidity. Rather the socio-economic status influences the state of health of persons with a migration background, who comparatively often belong to a socially disadvantaged segment of the population [2, pp. 342/343]. Due to their often lower social status, particular migrant groups deal with health issues resulting from physically and psychologically stressful work and living situations. Furthermore, migrants show a higher risk of psycho-social burden caused by traumatic events in the country of origin (for example torture) or during the migration process. Especially older migrants show a comparatively worse state of health and higher need for care [2, p. 339]. Not only past events during or prior to the migration cause suffering, but also the detention of asylum-seekers, who will be deported, causes physical and mental problems [3, pp. 31/32].
In contrast, migrants are less prone to fall ill with cardiovascular diseases than Germans do. Children with a migration background suffer for instance less from asthma or hay fever, but show more oral health problems compared to children without a migration background due to the comparatively low use of precautionary measures amongst persons with a migration background [2, pp.338/ 342]. In contrast to the assumption that the state of health of persons with a migration background is caused by their often lower social status, a study in 2010 shows that there is a correlation between the state of health and the experience of discrimination. Mental and physical health issues can be explained by the discrimination to which persons with a migration background, as well as asylum-seekers and refugees, are more often exposed to, because discrimination causes psycho-social stress [3, pp. 30/31].

Sources:

1. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) (ed.) / Martin Kohls (2011), Morbidität und Mortalität von Migranten in Deutschland, p.62-69, http://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/EN/Publikationen/Forschungsberichte/fb9-mortalitaet.pdf?__blob=publicationFile, Accessed on 30.01.2012.
2. Federal Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration (Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration) (June 2010), 8. Bericht der Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration über die Lage der Ausländerinnen und Ausländer in Deutschland, p. 337-345, http://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/_Anlagen/2010/2010-07-07-langfassung-lagebericht-ib.pdf;jsessionid=302B1C999D11829D7D54EEABEBEC1CFA.s2t1?__blob=publicationFile, Accessed on 30.01.2012.
3. ENAR (2012). ENAR Shadow Report 2010-2011: Racism and related discriminatory practices in Germany, http://cms.horus.be/files/99935/MediaArchive/publications/shadow%20report%202010-11/10.%20Germany%20%282%29.pdf, Accessed on 28.03.2012.