Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 16, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 422-428

Prevalence and correlates of depression among new U.S. immigrants (Article)

Wong E.C.* , Miles J.N.V.
  • a RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407, United States
  • b RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407, United States

Abstract

Although immigrants comprise one of the fastest growing segments of society, information on their adjustment to life in the US remains limited. The present study examined the prevalence of depression and associated correlates among a national sample of immigrants newly admitted to legal permanent residence to the US. Data were derived from the baseline adult cohort of the New Immigrant Survey, a national representative sample of immigrants who had obtained legal permanent residence between May and November 2003. Approximately 3 % of respondents met criteria for probable depression in the past 12 months. Respondents who were female, younger in age, in the US for a longer period of time, and exposed to political violence in their country of origin were more likely to meet criteria for probable depression. Both preimmigration and resettlement related factors were associated with probable depression. Further research is needed to better understand how processes in the country of origin and in the resettlement country influence the adjustment of immigrants.

Author Keywords

Mental health Political violence immigrants Depression

Index Keywords

Vulnerable Populations vulnerable population depression risk sex ratio human risk assessment middle aged Odds Ratio violence Ethnic Groups statistics and numerical data Confidence Intervals ethnic group comparative study Databases, Factual Logistic Models Health Surveys factual database ethnology Confidence interval United States Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants female Multivariate Analysis prevalence social adaptation adult Sex Distribution age distribution statistical model Social Adjustment health survey

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84904746453&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-013-9781-0&partnerID=40&md5=6791e6c7bd10959d2f7744e107aeb519

DOI: 10.1007/s10903-013-9781-0
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English