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The morbidity and mortality of migrants in Germany ,
Migrants use the public healthcare system differently in comparison to locals. You can find out how they use it in the Federal Office's Research Report 9, entitled "The morbidity and mortality of migrants in Germany", which deals comprehensively with the health and mortality of migrants.
For instance, migrants make below-average use of preventive measures, as well as of out-patient long-term care services, in comparison with the German population. This is traced back to communication problems and to problems in understanding, as well as to a lack of information and a different understanding of health and illness.
Foreign workers, and Turkish workers in particular, are more frequently affected by accidents at work and inability to work than Germans. This is said to be due to the fact that foreign workers are more likely to have jobs which place them at a greater risk of an accident. Migrants claim fewer medical rehabilitation measures when they suffer from professional diseases, although for instance above-average numbers of Turkish workers are retired and they retire earlier and are affected by loss of earning capacity. Migrants’ state of health is positively effected by “protective” migration factors (healthy migrant effect), their more favourable eating habits and risk conduct which as a rule is initially retained, larger social networks and greater family cohesion.
Lower mortality among younger migrants, greater risks among older migrants
The lower mortality rate among foreigners aged from 20 to less than 60 indicates a positive health selection process, which researchers refer to as a "healthy migrant effect". This factor indicates that migrants are healthier at the beginning of their stay as a rule than their non-migrant peers. Since the majority of immigrants move between the ages of 20 and 35, and have only been in Germany for a short time, particularly low mortality risks can also be anticipated in these age groups.
By contrast, higher mortality risks can be ascertained among older migrants aged from 60 and upwards. This is caused, firstly, by the increasing number of older persons who originally immigrated to Germany as "guest workers" from 1955 to 1973, the majority of whom carried out heavy physical work. What is more, the unfavourable social situation had a negative impact on health.
Secondly, the increase is also caused by the return migration of healthy foreign immigrants, who especially return to their countries of origin in the period shortly after reaching retirement age.
Author of the study: Martin Kohls
This publication is only available in German.