The Effect of Social Contacts on the Uptake of Health Innovations among Older Ethnic Minorities in the UK: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted specific views on ageing among older migrants in Europe that tend to be outdated or more pessimistic than the general population. However, the current literature does not provide explanations for such observations. This mixed methods study considers the diffusion of innovation among older migrants as a possible explanatory factor. A critical component of the diffusion of innovation theory is how information is accessed, exchanged, and communicated through social contacts. This study employs the fundamental mathematical model of diffusion to examine the differential effects of diffusion of innovation based on the social contact rates among migrant groups compared to the overall UK population. As there is no direct information on social contact rates among migrants in the UK, the analysis uses the equivalence from the migrants’ home countries as proxies. This study utilises social matrices of contact data for the UK based on publicly available information from a European survey and other publications for the contact rate for three sending countries where there are large migrant groups in the UK and Europe (India, Pakistan and Turkey). The analysis shows that, when controlling for other factors, migrants are likely to suffer considerable delays in the diffusion of innovations compared to the majority UK population. The findings have several policy implications concerning promoting inclusive public health and disease prevention interventions, which are essential components of a sustainable healthcare system for an increasingly diverse UK older population.