Contextual and individual determinants of health among Aussiedler and native Germans

Aussiedler, also referred to as ethnic German immigrants from countries of the former Soviet Union and other parts of Eastern Europe, constitute one of the largest immigrant groups in Germany. Little is known about their health relative to the health of native Germans. Using the German Microcensus 2005, which includes information about the health of 10,022 Aussiedler and 322,813 native Germans aged 20+ we find that in both groups high regional centrality depresses health, as does living in a region with low GDP. The proportion of foreigners does not have any consistent effect. The two groups differ with respect to educational gradients in health: there is none for Aussiedler, while there is a steep gradient for native Germans. Aussiedler who have lived in Germany for less than 15 years are healthier than native Germans which supports the healthy migrant hypothesis. Their deteriorating health status by duration of stay suggests that migration, deprivation and discrimination may have negative effects on the health of Aussiedler.