According to the concept of assimilation, what is likely to happen to an immigrant group's life expectancy over time?

• A. It will decline relative to the host population.
• B. It will remain unchanged.
• C. It will approximate that of the majority group.
• D. It will exceed that of the majority group.

Answer: (C)

Assimilation refers to the process through which immigrants adopt the cultural norms of the host society and gradually blend into the dominant culture. One common outcome of this process is that, over time, the health behaviors, lifestyles, and access to healthcare services of the immigrant group become more similar to those of the majority population.

As immigrants assimilate, they often experience improvements in their socioeconomic conditions, education, and healthcare access, which can contribute to enhancing their overall health and life expectancy. This integration can lead to a convergence in health outcomes, resulting in the immigrant group's life expectancy approximating that of the majority group.

While life expectancy may initially be lower due to various factors like economic challenges or cultural differences in health practices, the gradual adoption of healthier behaviors and increased access to medical care can result in significant improvements. Thus, it is reasonable to expect that the life expectancy of the immigrant group will come to resemble that of the majority group over time.