Region of birth and child mortality among black migrants to South Africa: is there a foreign-born advantage?
Region of birth and child mortality among black migrants to South Africa: is there a foreign-born advantage?

Summary/Abstract: We investigate whether an immigrant health advantage exists among blacks in South Africa, an important emerging economy. Using the 2001 South African Census, this study examines differences in child mortality between native-born South African and immigrant blacks. We find that accounting for region of origin is critical: immigrants from southern Africa are more likely to experience higher lifetime child mortality compared to the native-born population. Further, both internal migrants and immigrants from outside of southern Africa are less likely than both groups to experience child deaths, suggesting a role for migration selection. Finally, in contrast to patterns observed in more developed countries, we detect a strong relationship between schooling and child mortality among black immigrants.

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