The Sri Lankan community of descent in the UK: a neglected population in demographic and health research

ABSTRACT

The Sri Lankan diaspora population is substantially neglected in UK demographic and health research and not captured in census and survey ethnic group questions, though 127,242 Sri Lankan-born migrants were enumerated in England and Wales in 2011. Important intersections are reported between the period of arrival of these migrants, the purpose behind their movement, and related population characteristics, with 47% having arrived during 2001–2011. Between 1984 and 2004 around 50,000 asylum applications were made by Sri Lankan Tamils. Sri Lankan migrants generally display more favourable circumstances on key socio-economic variables than do other diaspora populations from South Asia. These include generic health status and mortality. This may be attributable to the ‘healthy migrant’ effect, given the community’s recent migration, though the application of its effect to this population requires caution as a significant proportion came to Britain as asylum-seekers (forced migration) rather than as self-selecting migrants. A more advantageous socio-economic profile may also have contributed.

KEYWORDS:

• Sri Lankan
• Tamil
• migrants
• ‘healthy migrant’ effect
• health status
• socio-economic position

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the two reviewers for their informative comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Peter J. Aspinall is Emeritus Reader in Population Health, University of Kent, UK. He has pursued an active research interest in ethnicity terminology and classifications and ethnicity inequalities over the last 25 years, published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and three books in this field, and advised the Office for National Statistics' 2001, 2011, and 2021 Census Development Programmes.

Notes

1 ONS 2011 Census, England and Wales, Table CT0517. Sex by age by ethnic group by main language.

2 England and Wales; Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; Scotland; India; Pakistan; Bangladesh; Sri Lanka; West Africa; East Africa; Caribbean Commonwealth; Eastern Europe; Other Western Europe; and Rest of the World.

3 ONS. 2011 Census, England and Wales, Table QS203EW.