Residential Duration in an Unusual and New Destination State (Utah) and the Health of Hispanics

Youngtae Cho, Seoul National University
E. Helen Berry, Utah State University
Michael B. Toney, Utah State University

It has been well discussed that the health of Hispanics in the U.S. deteriorates as their residential duration in the U.S. increases. This paper examines if residential duration in Utah, an unusual and new destination state, has impact on the health of Hispanic Utahns. Utah has known to be a healthy state in various aspects. Hispanics may be acculturated to healthy Utah culture as the length of residential duration increases, which would be resulted in improved health of Hispanics. Based on the 2001 Utah Hispanic Health Survey, we find that residential duration in Utah does not have any significant influence on the health of Hispanic Utahns, while residential duration in the U.S. exerts substantial and significant effects in a direction which is consistent with previous studies based on national samples.