Abstract
This paper examines the differences in adult violent causes (homicide, suicide, vehicle accidents, and otheraccidents) for mortality risks between the Americanforeign- and native-born adult populations, whileconsidering the length of time lived in the USA and the influences of other socio-demographic characteristics. Data came from the National Health InterviewSurvey-National Death Index linked file for the years1989--1995. Cox proportional hazards modelsestimate the association between nativity, length ofstay, and mortality risk for each violent cause. Theresults show that foreign-born persons differ in their risks of violent death vis-á-vis the native-bornpopulation by the amount of the time they have livedin the USA. In particular, recent immigrants (lessthan 15 years) display higher risks fromhomicide, lower risks from suicide, and lower risksfrom other accidents (not vehicle) than thenative-born individuals. This pattern is differentfor longer-term immigrants (15 or more years) whohave, for the most part, similar risks from othercauses of violent death compared to native-bornresidents. The findings suggest that there arecompositional differences between immigrants by length of stay and that the process of acculturation mayinclude the amplification or diminution of risks ofvarious causes of violent death.
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Toussaint, D.W., Hummer, R.A. Differential mortality risks from violent causes for foreign- and native-born residents of the USA. Population Research and Policy Review 18, 607–620 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006318101290
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006318101290