The Impact of Migration on Smoking among Colombian Migrants

Background: Colombian migration globally has had many consequences. This study focuses solely on the smoking behavior of Colombian migrants. This study addresses how the act of international migration impacts the likelihood of smoking among Colombian migrants. Smoking has been found to be the leading cause of preventable death, and so it is a health risk for Colombian migrants. This study pertains to the communities sampled in Colombia, where the migrants originated. Methods: This study uses the Latin American Migration Project to address how migration impacts the smoking behavior of Colombian migrants. Using logit regression, the statistical analysis predicts the likelihood of smoking among Colombian migrants. This study compares the smoking behavior of current and former Colombian migrants, which is compared to that of Colombian non-migrants. Because current and former migrants were surveyed, the study is able to control for health selectivity. Results: After accounting for health selectivity, the study finds that migration, as measured by time abroad, is positively and significantly related with the smoking of migrants relative to non-migrants. Additionally, this study shows that former migrants are more likely to smoke than current migrants, providing support for the salmon effect. Conclusion: This study adds to the literature on smoking by studying an understudied group, Colombian migrants, and provides a better measure of the impact of migration on smoking behavior by accounting for health selectivity and the salmon bias. The findings are consistent with assimilation theory, as more time abroad is associated with negative health behaviors that are common in the culture of the receiving country, but the fact that such behaviors are harmful to the migrant is consistent with the immigrant health paradox.