Return Migration and Its Effect Modification on the Risk for Functional Dependency Associated with Hypertension and Diabetes among Mexican Older Adults

Mexico’s population is aging as return migration (R.M.) from U.S. increases. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess the impact of R.M. on the risk for functional dependency (F.D.) and its effect modification for the association between diabetes and hypertension with F.D. in older Mexican adults. Using the Mexican Health and Ageing Study (MHAS) in its wave 2021, we used chi-squared and t-test to determine significant variables for dependency by Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Afterwards, we fitted the significant variables into logistic models to determine the impact of R.M. for F.D. Then we ran the propensity score matching (P.S.M.) models to isolate the impact of R.M. Finally, logistic models with interactions between diabetes and R.M., and hypertension and R.M. were performed to assess the effect modification of return migration. 9.93% of return migrants developed F.D. compared to 9.37% of the general population (p = 0.82). P.S.M. model showed that R.M. is associated with an increase of 0.055 (p = 0.026) in the probability of living F.D. The odds for F.D. increased in people living with diabetes from 2.119 among non-migrants (p < 0.001) to 3.505 in migrants (p = 0.005). The odds for F.D. increased in people living with hypertension from 1.627 among non-migrants (p < 0.001) to 2.194 in migrants (p = 0.025). RM imposes a higher risk for developing F.D. and amplifies the risk of F.D. associated hypertension and diabetes in older Mexicans.