Immigration Status and Family Health

The worldwide phenomenon of intercountry migration will be one of the defining features of the 21st century, as it was for the last third of the 20th century. According to a report by the United Nations, there are an estimated 214 million international migrants in the world today. The United States, the largest immigrant-receiving country, had 38 million foreign-born people (13% of its total population) in 2008, a nearly quadruple increase from 1970 when there were only 9.6 million immigrants [Page 641](4.7%). This entry discusses the intricate links between international migration and immigrant health, focusing on the health status and use of health care by immigrant family members.