The Healthy Migrant Hypothesis and Internal Migration in Accra, Ghana

Includes bibliographical references (pages 57-67).Research worldwide indicates that health outcomes are nearly always determined by socioeconomic status, with wealthier and more prestigious members of society exhibiting a positive health advantage. However, the 2008-2009 Women's Health Study of Accra found unexpected results when data were aggregated at a neighborhood level. Lower status communities in Accra, Ghana often exhibit positive health outcomes that do not correlate with anticipated results. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is the healthy migrant hypothesis, which posits that recently arrived migrants will experience better health regardless of socioeconomic status. This thesis tests the healthy migrant hypothesis by evaluating its prerequisite assumptions (self-selectivity of migrants), assessing the health outcomes of women who have migrated within Ghana's national boundaries, and analyzing results from a spatial perspective. The results suggest that, contrary to expectations, migrants are not healthier than other neighborhood residents, and therefore their presence in a neighborhood seems unlikely to be the factor influencing the positive health outcomes observed among adults in poor neighborhoods