O-62 The Health of First Generation Caribbeans Across the Diaspora: Findings from Population Data Surveys from Guyana, Jamaica, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom
Author(s):
K. Lacey
Year of Presentation:
2023
Objective: This five-country study examined the physical and mental health of Caribbeans within the region and those in host countries. The study further evaluates whether length of time in host countries is associated with the declining health of first-generation Caribbeans.
Methods: Population data collected in Jamaica (2005), Guyana (2005), Canada (2000–2005), the United States (2001–2003), and England (1998–2000) were utlized using descriptives statistics and multivariate logistic regression procedures. Both objective and subjective physical and mental health measures were used for this study.
Results: Caribbeans within the region generally maintained a higher degree of health advantage with lower rates of cardiovascular conditions compared to first-generation Caribbeans in North American and European countries. However, this finding did not consistently hold for other health indicators. Length of time was also associated with physical [AOR = 0.86(95% CI 0.83, 0.88)] and mental health [AOR = 0.83(95% CI 0.83, 0.83)] within certain host countries, though unexpected results were found. Sociodemographic factors contributed both positively and negatively to physical and mental health.
Conclusion: The study suggests that while first-generation Caribbeans might initially lose certain health benfits in host countries, there are signs of improvement over a longer period. Nonetheless, this might depend on the location of destination and the type of health condition.