Inequalities in multimorbidity between native-born and immigrant older adults across Europe

TL;DR

Immigrant older adults in Europe have higher rates of multiple chronic diseases compared to native-born individuals, especially for stomach ulcers and in certain regions.

Contribution

This study reveals higher multimorbidity risks among immigrant older adults with chronic diseases compared to native-born individuals in Europe.

Findings

Immigrants with chronic diseases have higher multimorbidity prevalence than native-born individuals.

Stomach ulcers show a pronounced risk of multimorbidity among immigrant men and women.

Eastern European and Asian/Oceanian immigrants in Northern Europe face particular disadvantages in multimorbidity.

Abstract

Immigrants with a chronic disease may have a higher burden of multimorbidity than their native-born counterparts due to the unique experiences in their origin and the receiving countries. In this study, we provide a descriptive overview of inequalities in multimorbidity between immigrant and native-born older adults with chronic diseases in Europe. Our analysis includes individuals aged 50–79 years who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) from Waves 2 through 9. We first estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity among person-years with each of eight chronic diseases and then compare the prevalence between native-born and immigrant populations by computing the relative risk. Overall, immigrants with chronic diseases have a higher prevalence of multimorbidity compared to native-born individuals with the condition, a trend typically more pronounced among women. In particular, both immigrant men and women have a pronounced risk of multimorbidity with stomach ulcers compared to their native-born counterparts. In subgroup analyses by regions of origin and residence, we find that immigrants from Eastern Europe or Asia/Oceania and those living in Northern Europe have particular disadvantages in multimorbidity to their native-born counterparts, especially for disease combinations that include stomach ulcers. Our findings can help identify the target populations and health conditions that should be prioritized in efforts to reduce health disparities between native-born and immigrant older adults in Europe.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-025-00879-5.

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