A Closer Look at the Epidemiological Paradox: Self-Rated Health, Perceived Social Resources, and Neighborhood Immigrant Context

Eileen E. S. Bjornstrom, University of Missouri
Danielle C. Kuhl, Bowling Green State University

We use data from waves 1 and 2 of the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey to examine the effects of neighborhood immigrant concentration, race-ethnicity, nativity, and perceived cohesion on self-rated physical health. We limit our sample to adults whose addresses do not change between waves in order to explore neighborhood effects. Foreign born Latinos were significantly less likely to report fair or poor health than African Americans and U.S. born whites, but did not differ from U.S. born Latinos. The main effect of immigrant concentration did not matter, but it interacted with nativity status to predict health. U.S. born Latinos benefited more from neighborhood immigrant concentration than foreign born Latinos. Perceived cohesion predicted health but immigrant concentration did not moderate the effect. Finally, U.S. born Latinos differed from others in the way cohesion is associated with their health. Results are discussed within the framework of the epidemiological paradox.