Migration Experience and Health Status in Indonesia: Life History Analysis using IFLS Data

Type Working Paper
Title Migration Experience and Health Status in Indonesia: Life History Analysis using IFLS Data
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2005
URL http://demoscope.ru/weekly/knigi/tours_2005/papers/iussp2005s50014.pdf
Abstract
In the last few decades, both temporary and permanent geographic mobility of Indonesian population has increased. Such a situation has not only demographic, but also social and economic implications. Health variation is one such major consequence. This study attempts to examine the link between migration experience and health status among adult, early old age and elderly people in Indonesia. Using the 1993 and 1997 Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) data, a longitudinal socioeconomic and demographic survey containing extensive histories on one’s life course including migration history and current health status, offers a possibility to perform a statistical analysis on the possible relationship between those two variables. Two health measures-- perceived general health status (GHS) and assessed activity of daily living (ADL)—were utilized in the analysis. The results show that Indonesian migration experience is negatively associated with the health indicators. Statistically, this relationship is robust to the general health status/GHS but weak to ability status/ADL. This effect is strong among those who have frequently migrated (more than 3 or 4 times and beyond) with longer distance (i.e. inter-province or inter-country), across different environments (urban-rural or ruralurban), started to migrate earlier (before age 17) or later (after age 45), and last migration occurred recently (last 3-6 years). In the same time, this negative association could be reduced by health promoting factors such as no smoking behavior and an ideal body mass index (BMI) as well as by having higher educational attainment. As found in elsewhere, population in younger age (adult and early old age) is more likely to have better health status than their counterparts who are elderly. In addition, being currently married, working and residing in Java-Bali region have affected on increasing the health status of population.

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