Prevalence of Disability among Hispanic Immigrant Populations: New Evidence from the American Community Survey

Abstract: Using nationally representative data from the 2010–2014 American Community Survey, this paper provides updated disability rates for working and retirement age Hispanics in the United States. Crude and age standardized rates, disaggregated by gender, national origin group and nativity, are calculated for six measures of disability. The older foreign-born Mexican population is also disaggregated by year and age at arrival. Once age structure is controlled for older foreign-born Mexican males have higher rates of disability than non-Hispanic White males, and older foreignborn Mexican females have higher rates than both US-born Mexicans and non-Hispanic White females – findings that are at odds with immigrant health advantage theories. Further, there is limited impact of either selection on age at migration or era of migration among retirement age foreign-born Mexicans. These updated estimates are critical for researchers and policymakers and shed light on a growing population at risk for an immigrant health disadvantage.