Background: Even though 36.5% of children and adolescents living in Germany have a migration background (MB), data on the health of this population is scarce. With population-based data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2, 2014-2017), reliable statements can be given.
Methods: Data from KiGGS Wave 2 is used in order to report on general health status, mental health, and the distribution of allergic diseases among children and adolescents aged 3-17 years (n = 13,568). To determine overweight, standardized measurements of body weight and height (n = 3463) were used. In addition to the MB (none/one-sided/two-sided), the socioeconomic status (SES) is considered. In multivariate analyses among children and adolescents with MB, SES and the parents' duration of stay in Germany were included.
Results: Participants with a two-sided MB show lower prevalence of neurodermatitis (3.5% vs. 6.9%) and ADHS (2.0% vs. 5.1%) than those without a migration background and higher prevalence of fair to poor general health status (6.1% vs. 3.9%). Children and adolescents with a two-sided migration background are more often affected by overweight than those without migration background (22.1% vs. 12.2%). After considering SES, the chances of a diagnosed neurodermatitis and ADHS remain higher and the chances for overweight are lower in children and adolescents with a migration background than among those without migration background. If only children with MB are considered, SES and partially the parents' duration of stay in Germany are associated with health outcomes.
Conclusion: Differences in the general health status of children and adolescents with and without MB vary depending on the observed indicators. The heterogeneity of children and adolescents with MB, e.g. regarding SES and parents' duration of stay, should be considered when planning and implementing measures of health promotion.
Keywords: Gesundheit; Migrants; Migration; Social inequality.