Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
Volume 45, Issue 9, 2010, Pages 921-930

A comparison of quality of life and depression between female married immigrants and native married women in Taiwan. (Article)

Chou F.H.* , Chen P.C. , Liu R. , Ho C.K. , Tsai K.Y. , Ho W.W. , Chao S.S. , Lin K.S. , Shen S.P. , Chen C.C.
  • a Department of Nursing, Meiho Institute of Technology, Pintung, Taiwan.
  • b [Affiliation not available]
  • c [Affiliation not available]
  • d [Affiliation not available]
  • e [Affiliation not available]
  • f [Affiliation not available]
  • g [Affiliation not available]
  • h [Affiliation not available]
  • i [Affiliation not available]
  • j [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS: Immigration to Taiwan is often connected with marriage, resulting in the presence of so-called married immigrants or foreign brides. AIMS: To compare the quality of life (QOL) and prevalence of depression between female married immigrants and native married women. METHODS: Trained assistants used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36) and the disaster-related psychological screening test (DRPST) to interview 1,602 married women who were 16-50 years of age. Half (801) of the participants were female immigrants, whilst the remainder comprised the age-matched control group that consisted of 801 native married women. Participants who scored C2 (probable major depressive episode) on the DRPST were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria by a senior psychiatrist. The MOS SF-36 measures QOL and has two dimensions: the physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS). RESULTS: Married immigrants had a lower prevalence (3.5%) of major depressive episodes than native women (8.9%) in Taiwan. Variables such as an increased severity of psychosocial impact were the best predictors of a lower PCS and MCS. CONCLUSION: Compared to Taiwanese native married women, fewer married immigrants had stressful life events or depression, and they reported higher QOL. After controlling for putative confounding factors, the married immigrants still had better mental QOL and a lower prevalence rate of depression

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

decision tree Decision Trees psychological aspect Spouses human middle aged statistics Population Groups comparative study probability health status ethnology Taiwan diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders ethnic and racial groups marriage quality of life Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female spouse questionnaire prevalence Psychometrics psychometry Article Questionnaires adult migration Linear Models statistical model Depressive Disorder, Major major depression
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77958134398&doi=10.1007%2fs00127-009-0130-5&partnerID=40&md5=796fdbce11726dbfed98d332c07b85d9
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-009-0130-5
ISSN: 14339285
Cited by: 13
Original Language: English