International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 15, Issue 6, 2018

Legal immigration status is associated with depressive symptoms among latina transgender women in Washington, DC (Article) (Open Access)

Yamanis T.* , Malik M. , Del Río-González A.M. , Wirtz A.L. , Cooney E. , Lujan M. , Corado R. , Poteat T.
  • a School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, United States
  • b Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • c Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, 2121 I St NW, Washington, DC 20052, United States
  • d Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • e Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
  • f School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, United States
  • g Casa Ruby, 7530 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20012, United States
  • h Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States

Abstract

Latina transgender women (LTW) are disproportionately vulnerable to depression, although the role of immigration/documentation status (legal authority to live/work in the U.S.) in depression has not been explored. LTW in Washington, DC were recruited into a cross-sectional study via convenience sampling. Most were Spanish-speaking Central American immigrants. Participants completed rapid HIV tests, and a Spanish-language survey assessing recent depressive symptoms (PHQ-2), sociodemographics, and factors from the minority stress framework: structural stressors (documentation status, stable housing), social stressors (discrimination, fear of deportation, violence) and coping resources (social support, resilience). Among immigrant LTW (n = 38), 24 were undocumented. Among the undocumented, the average PHQ-2 score was 2.7, and among the documented, the average PHQ-2 score was 1.4 (p < 0.05). Undocumented LTW were significantly more likely to experience employment discrimination, recent unstable housing, and fear of deportation. Bivariate and multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the relationship between documentation status and other correlates of past two week depressive symptoms. In multivariate analysis, PHQ-2 scores were inversely associated with being documented (p < 0.01), having an income above the federal poverty level, higher friends’ social support, and increased resiliency. Documentation status is an important correlate of depressive symptoms among LTW that should be considered within the context of health interventions. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Depressive symptoms immigrants Transgender women Depression Latinas Immigration status Documentation status

Index Keywords

Transgender Persons depression educational status immigrant legal system Human immunodeficiency virus infection Latina male to female transgender alcohol consumption Washington [District of Columbia] poverty mental health human epidemiology immigration middle aged District of Columbia risk assessment coping behavior Health Surveys social support ethnology Hispanic Americans Undocumented Immigrants Cross-Sectional Studies physical abuse United States Young Adult cross-sectional study undocumented immigrant psychology Hispanic Humans social stress male transgender employment discrimination female risk factor Risk Factors Multivariate Analysis symptom scoring system Latino people Article employment status adult drug use Linear Models depression assessment ethnicity statistical model sexual violence legal procedure Fear womens health documentation health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85048622412&doi=10.3390%2fijerph15061246&partnerID=40&md5=c32aa023bc918950684987eefef5ba9a
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15061246
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English