Healthy Life Expectancy among Mexican and Mexican Americans: A Cross National Comparison

Ching-Yi A. Shieh, University of Maryland

Mexicans are the largest ethnic subgroup among the U.S. Hispanic population. With the aging demographic structure, elders' health and quality of life issues become more important. Using vital statistics and survey data from Mexico and the U.S., we examine the disability-free, active, and healthy life expectancies of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans aged seventy and older. Our universe for comparisons includes U.S. born Mexicans, immigrant Mexicans, non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, migrants returned from the U.S. to Mexico, and at all other Mexicans. Estimations using the Sullivan Method found that for men, non-Hispanic black elderly are the most unhealthy group. Ever U.S. immigrants living in Mexico are better-off than those who stay in the U.S. On the other hand, female elderly without U.S. migration experience have better health profiles than all other Mexican women. The Mexican-U.S. migration may have negative effects on elderly men's health outcomes.