Studies show that older migrants have poorer health than native populations in Western Europe. To date, little systematic research has explored the differences between men and women within older populations with migration backgrounds. This article examines gender-specific aspects and mediating mechanisms of self-reported health among older migrants from Turkey. Using a mixed method approach, data and results from a quantitative survey and a qualitative study conducted in Berlin, Germany, are analysed and integrated at the interpretive level. Standardised face-to-face interviews were carried out with the help of a network approach with 194 older migrants from Turkey (93 women, 101 men, mean age: 68). Potential mediators showing significant gender differences are included in a parallel multiple mediation analysis. The documentary method is used to analyse 11 semi-structured narrative interviews with first-generation labour migrants from Turkey. Women reported significantly worse subjective health than men (c = 0.443, bCI [0.165–0.736]), conveyed through greater functional limitations (ab = 0.183, bCI [0.056–0.321]) and emotional loneliness (ab = 0.057, bCI [0.008–0.128]). Respondents to the qualitative study perceived that women age earlier and have poorer health due to the burden of performing a greater variety of social roles. Higher levels of emotional loneliness among women could be caused by their experiences of negatively assessed partnerships. Our results show that as a group, older female migrants have an elevated health vulnerability. A broader scientific foundation regarding gender differences in the health of older migrants and their causes is needed to promote gender-sensitive prevention and care for this group.

研究表明，老年移民的健康状况比西欧当地人口差。迄今为止，很少有系统研究探讨具有移民背景的老年人群中男性和女性之间的差异。本文研究了来自土耳其的老年移民自我报告健康的性别特定方面和中介机制。使用混合方法，在解释层面分析和整合在德国柏林进行的定量调查和定性研究的数据和结果。在网络方法的帮助下，对来自土耳其的 194 名老年移民（93 名女性，101 名男性，平均年龄：68 岁）进行了标准化的面对面访谈。显示出显着性别差异的潜在调解员包含在平行多重调解分析中。文献方法用于分析对来自土耳其的第一代劳务移民的 11 次半结构化叙事访谈。女性报告的主观健康状况明显低于男性（c  = 0.443，bCI [0.165-0.736]），通过更大的功能限制（ab  = 0.183，bCI [0.056-0.321]）和情感孤独（ab  = 0.057，bCI [0.008-0.128]）传达。定性研究的受访者认为，由于承担更多不同的社会角色，女性衰老得更早，健康状况更差。女性的情感孤独程度更高可能是由于她们的负面评估伙伴关系经历造成的。我们的研究结果表明，作为一个群体，老年女性移民具有更高的健康脆弱性。需要在老年移民健康方面的性别差异及其原因方面建立更广泛的科学基础，以促进对这一群体的性别敏感的预防和护理。