Rethinking the Hispanic Paradox: The Mortality Experience of Mexican Immigrants in Traditional Gateways and New Destinations.

Mexican immigrants enjoy a substantial mortality advantage over non-Hispanic whites in the US, although their health declines with greater duration of residence. Many previous studies have suggested this advantage reflects higher levels of social support among Mexicans in enclave communities with high co-ethnic density. As the Mexican-origin population in the US has grown, it has expanded outside traditional gateway cities in California and Texas to new destinations throughout the US, and it has become increasingly important to understand how settlement in new destinations impacts the health of Mexican immigrants. This study examines the mortality outcomes of Mexican immigrants in versus and in the US. Using a nationally-representative survey with mortality follow-up the analysis finds that Mexican immigrants in new and minor destinations have a significant survival advantage over their counterparts in traditional gateways. This advantage largely reflects the mortality benefits of living in communities with smaller and less-established Mexicans immigrant communities, a finding that runs in contrast to prior work on the protective effects of immigrant enclaves. The results suggest that future research must reevaluate the relationship between neighborhood ethnic composition, social support, and immigrant health.