The Healthy Migrant Hypothesis in the Usa at the Turn of the 20th Century: Investigating Origin, Destination, and Family Effects Using Crowdsourced Online Genealogies

Saverio Minardi, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
Paul Puschmann, Radboud University Nijmegen
Nicola Barban, University of Bologna

This article uses novel crowdsourced genealogy data to study the migrant mortality advantage and its underlying mechanisms in the 19th and 20th centuries in the USA. Crowdsourced genealogy data are a unique opportunity to investigate the healthy migrant hypothesis since they transcend national borders and contain information about family histories. Leveraging these data, we assess differences in migrants’ lifespans relative to home and host populations and specifically compared to their non-migrant siblings, distinguishing by country of origin. Results indicate a healthy migrant effect for all nationalities, except for Irish, compared to the origin population. This result is fairly consistent when comparing migrant to non-migrant siblings. However, results highlight a mortality disadvantage for certain nationalities compared to the US-born population. Overall, the findings underscore the heterogeneity of the healthy migrant effect across populations, emphasizing the importance of considering both origin and destination when assessing migrants’ health.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session 57. Migration, Integration, and Social Outcomes: A Historical Perspective