Health Effects of Migration: U.S. Chinese In and Outside the Chinatown

Previous studies on the health effects of migration at the international level have seldom been directed to those concentrated in segregated enclaves. This study hypothesizes that in spite of the known deviations in certain demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of Chinatown (San Francisco-New York City) residents from the US Chinese population no consistent relationship seems to exist between these attributes and health risks as reflected in the mortality levels of the 2 populations. A convergence in mortality was observed for a noticeable number of causes of deaths with but a few disease-cause sets of non-convergence with statistical significance. The study results were interpreted in terms of varying degrees of acculturation experience. (authors)