Immigrant older adults’ health and social support in Canada: a comparative analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data

Immigrants comprise a large proportion of Canada’s older adult population and face specific risks linked to poor physical and mental health such as isolation, poverty, and barriers to health and social support services. This study will provide important information about the physical and mental health status and needs of older immigrants in Canada by addressing the following questions (1) How do the types and prevalence of mental and physical health problems compare between immigrant and non-immigrant older adults? (2) What are the main determinants of immigrant older adults’ mental and physical health and do these vary between immigrants and non-immigrants? (3) What are the main sources of health and social support used by older adults and do these vary between immigrant and non-immigrant older adults? (4) What is the relationship between older adults’ mental and physical health and socio-economic factors in specific, and do these vary between immigrants and non-immigrants?

This project has helped to illuminate the mental and physical health status of older immigrants, and how they differ from their Canadian born counterparts. This work is particularly useful in relation to those that focus on the healthy immigrant effect.