A recent study revealed that moving away from one’s hometown can be bittersweet, but it may also improve health.
According to research published in the Journal of Ethnic and Minority Studies, old people who move to another country tend to be healthier in old age as compared to those who stay in their birth state.
Research further revealed that older adults who remained where they were born had up to 22% higher odds of disability, including vision or hearing problems, cognitive decline, and mobility issues.
Lead researcher from the University of Toronto, Katherine Ahlin, stated, “This study provides the first large-scale evidence that internal migration in the U.S. is linked to better health in later life.”
For the study, researchers assessed data from 5.4 million older adults over 10 years and discovered that migrants were generally healthier and less disabled.
Education partly explained the difference, as more educated people were both more likely to improve mobility and less likely to develop disabilities.
However, even after accounting for education, results indicated enhanced health of migrants — potentially because healthier people are more capable of moving.
Interestingly, immigrants from abroad had an even stronger health edge, with 7%–33% reduced odds of several disabilities.
Researchers suggest this may reflect the obstacles of migration choosing for the healthiest people.
