Is Migration Healthy for Mexican Boys and Girls? Sex Differences in Child Health

Katharine M. Donato, Rice University
Melissa Stainback, Rice University
Caitlin C Rosenthal, Rice University
Shawn Malia Kanaiaupuni, Kamehameha Schools

Missing in recent studies on migration and health is an examination of how the gendered process of migration affects the health of children in Mexican households. This is surprising given that substantial scholarship has revealed that parents selectively discriminate against girls in households worldwide. Using new binational data on the health of Mexican children, we examine whether and how the gendered process of migration differentially affects the health of girls and boys in Mexican families. Our findings reveal that gender inequality in child health is related to preferences built on the traditional gender hierarchy, but shifts in the power distribution brought about by the experience of U.S. migration reduce the inequality. These results have important implications for understanding gender differences in migration and health.