Internal Migration and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Contrasting Effect of Migrant Status on Mortality over the Life-Course

Carren Ginsburg, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Philippe Bocquier, UCLouvain
Ashira Menashe Oren, Université Catholique de Louvain
Collinson Mark, University of the Witwatersrand

Internal migration accounts for the majority of movement globally, however, evidence on the relationship between internal migration and health is scarce. Studies have contributed mixed evidence regarding the direction of this relationship, and it is not clear whether the relationship is consistent over the life course. The aim of this paper is to explore differences in mortality by in- and return migrant status from birth to age 80. Cox proportional hazards models are used to analyse longitudinal mortality data from 29 sub-Saharan African Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems over the period 1990 to 2015. The results suggest that migrants have a higher risk of mortality, with return migrants being at greater risk than in-migrants, as compared to permanent residents. However, infants born to migrant mothers may have a survival advantage. There is evidence of an adaptation effect across all ages, with the risk of mortality reducing with duration following migration.