A Binational Analysis of Health Outcomes among Stayers and Crises-Driven Diasporas

Jenny Garcia , Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Andres Castro, University of Pennsylvania

Our study examines health outcomes among Venezuelan and Colombian nationals in the context of the violence- and crisis-driven migration history of the two nations. The Colombian armed conflict (1960-2010) and the current socioeconomic Venezuelan crisis are the focus of our analysis. We combine censuses and vital registration information to estimate Infant Mortality Rates, Maternal Mortality Ratios, and the prevalence of Low Birth Weight among stayers and migrants in/from both countries. Our preliminary results suggest that although migration is a survival strategy that allows people to escape violence, hunger, and extreme deprivation, it also exposes people to worse health outcomes, especially those with scarce resources socioeconomically speaking. Our study also provides a framework for assessing health dynamics across borders when populations faced adverse conditions, i.e., long-lasting armed conflicts (Colombia) and sudden drastic economic shocks (Venezuela).

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 Presented in Session 65. Crisis-Driven Migration and Its Consequences