Unhealthy ageing of immigrants: current understanding and future directions

Migration and population ageing have been two primary drivers of demographic change in Europe over the past few decades. While immigrant populations in Europe remain relatively young compared to non-immigrant populations, they are ageing, particularly in countries with a longer history of immigration. The ageing process exposes immigrants to greater health risks associated with frailty, highlighting the urgent need to understand the individual, structural, and systemic determinants that may place immigrants on a different health trajectory than non-immigrants. Addressing this challenge is crucial to improving the quality of life and health outcomes for ageing immigrants, and ensuring that they receive the necessary care and resources to manage and mitigate the impacts of population ageing on their frailty and health. This paper explores the current understanding of the unhealthy ageing of immigrants, shedding light on their increasing frailty over the life course, and offers insights into future research directions in the field.