Health Inequalities Among Migrant Population.

This report presents the steps taken toward defining the optimal analytical strategy for the empirical analysis of the dataset produced by the MIGHEAL survey. The preliminary analysis of MIGHEAL data is based on the priorities and guidelines of the project discussed and set out during the kick-off meeting o the MIGHEAL project in Athens. (February 4-5, 2016, Athens, Greece). This report summarizes the preliminary findings and the main methodological challenges that had to be addressed during the first stage of data analysis. The selection of the appropriate sample classification according to the migratory background of the respondents was not a simple task. The first section presents the sample distribution based on the alternative migrant definitions and country groupings and discusses the pros and cons of each strategic analysis. In the second section, the demographic makeup of the MIGHEAL data is briefly described by dividing into three groups according to the country of birth: Greece, Albania and a group of other countries. The preliminary analysis shows that the prevalence of poor health and health conditions is lower among migrants, which is likely to be related mostly to differences in age. The figures for depressive symptoms are very high among all groups, especially for Greeks. More specifically, a comparative analysis of the European Social Survey data (Health module: ESS7), revealed very high rates of depressive symptoms for the MIGHEAL sample, particularly for native Greek females. The results still need to be adjusted to account for compositional differences in the sample, but the magnitude of absolute and relative inequalities across countries and gendersmake this a very interesting topic for further research. The depression measurements and the key preliminary findings are presented in detail in the last section of this report.