Migration and Health in Glasgow and its Relevance to GoWell Annual Public Health Conference, 11 November 2011 Fiona Crawford Glasgow Centre for Population.

Migration and Health in Glasgowand its Relevance to GoWell

Annual Public Health Conference, 11 November 2011

Fiona CrawfordGlasgow Centre for Population Health

What is GoWell?

…a long-term study of the health and wellbeing impacts of housing investment and regeneration upon individuals, households and communities in Glasgow

www.gowellonline.com

GoWell is a collaborative partnership between the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, the University of Glasgow and the MRC Social and

Public Health Sciences Unit, sponsored by Glasgow Housing Association, the Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland and NHS

Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Timeline

Why Consider Migration?

• Evidence that migration in and out of an area has an effect on the health of its residents

• Widening health inequalities evident in Greater Glasgow

• GoWell study areas contain migrant asylum seeker/refugee population groups

• Population movement to/from study areas

Objectives

• History

• Policy

• Evidence Review

• Research

• Conclusions

Relevance for GoWell

Glasgow’s History

Population Movement into/out of Glasgow City

• Recent (small) in population of city - population movement rather than ‘natural change’

• Accounted for by immigration from overseas rather than inmigration from Scotland and UK as movement out of Glasgow City to outlying areas

• Demographic composition also changing(Source: Glasgow City Council. People and Households in Glasgow.Current Estimates and Projected Changes 2008-28. Demographic Change In Glasgow City and Neighbourhoods. March 2011)

Changes in Ethnicity in Glasgow

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Other White Asian Chinese African Any MixedBackground

Other EthnicGroup

Population (2001) Population (2008)

Source: GCC data using 2001 Census in conjunction with Mosaic origins software

Ethnicity in GoWell Study Areas

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Carntyn

e

Castlem

ilk

Drum

chap

el

Gorba

ls Rive

rside

Govan

Red Roa

d MSFs &

tene

ments

Red Roa

d wide

r are

a

Riddr

ie

Scots

ton w

ider a

rea

Scots

toun

MSFs

Shawbr

idge C

orrid

or

Sighth

ill

St And

rews D

rive

Total

Townh

ead M

SFs

Per

cen

tag

e

Non-British - citizenship not known

Asylum seeker

Refugee

British - ethnicity not known

British - non-white

British - white

Source: GoWell Survey Data (2008)

Policy Impact/Influence

• Migration policy - reserved issue• Current UK policy aims to reduce net migration

into UK• Contrasting Scottish policy aspirations

– Sustainable economic growth – Population growth– ‘Fresh talent’

• Glasgow’s role in accommodating asylum seekers/refugees

• Immigration from A8 accession countries

Evidence on Migration and Population Health

• Selective migration can influence area based health measures and spatial inequalities

• Conflicting evidence over scale at which operates and size of impact

• Migration postulated to have a positive influence on specific health indicators in destination communities – evidence from GoWell and elsewhere

• Acculturation

Selective Migration and Inequalities in Glasgow

http://www.gcph.co.uk/work_programmes/understanding_glasgows_health/migration_and_inequalities

Results

• There were high losses of adult population between 1991 and 2001 in the most deprived areas of Greater Glasgow (mainly to other areas in Greater Glasgow). This loss involved high and low socio-economic groups, and those with and without a limiting illness in 1991

• Net migration did not greatly change the composition of the

areas’ population according to characteristics examined

• Selective migration between deprivation quintiles was not the sole or most important explanation for the widening mortality gap.

Relevance of Research to GoWell

• Although GoWell study areas are deprived, it is not yet possible to conduct a similar analysis as the socio-economic and health characteristics of ‘in’ and ‘out’ migrants are unknown

Conclusions• Racial diversity and immigration are

increasing at Glasgow City level

• Current Scottish Government (and local government) policy seeks to attract migrants

• There are significant numbers of asylum seekers, refugees and non-British citizens in GoWell regeneration areas

Conclusions (Cont)• There appears to be some evidence that

migrants can positively influence health-related indicators in host communities

• The impact of migration on inequalities in health is debatable but important to continue to scrutinise

• Need to remember influence of city-wide migration linked to economic and area based regeneration efforts

Thanks to…

• Frank Popham & colleagues (St Andrew’s University)

• Ecological Monitoring Team– David Walsh (GCPH)– Sheila Beck (NHS Health Scotland)– Jennifer McLean (GCPH)– Carol Tannahill (GCPH)

• Ade Kearns (University of Glasgow)

Further Reading• GoWell Briefing Paper 3: Asylum seekers

and Refugees in Glasgow’s Regeneration Areas, 2006-7 (April 2009)

• Ade Kearns & Elise Whitley: Health, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion of Migrants in North Glasgow (September 2010)

http://www.gowellonline.com/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=218

www.gowellonline.com