European Psychiatry
Volume 27, Issue SUPPL.2, 2012, Pages S10-S16

Socio-economic status and emotional distress of female Turkish immigrants and native German women living in Berlin (Article)

Aichberger M.C.* , Bromand Z. , Heredia Montesinos A. , Temur-Erman S. , Mundt A. , Heinz A. , Rapp M.A. , Schouler-Ocak M.
  • a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Große Hamburger Straße 5-11, 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Große Hamburger Straße 5-11, 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • c Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Große Hamburger Straße 5-11, 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Große Hamburger Straße 5-11, 10115 Berlin, Germany
  • e Psychiatric Day Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Germany
  • f Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Berlin, Germany
  • g Geriatric Psychiatry Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany
  • h Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at St Hedwig Hospital, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Background: Many immigrants face more economic strains and hardship than non-immigrants. Income inequality and an increasing social gap between immigrants and non-immigrants in Europe warrant further studies on the impact of socioeconomic factors on health in immigrant groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of socioeconomic status (SES) and emotional distress in women of Turkish descent and in women of German descent. Methods and Subjects: A total of 405 women of German or Turkish descent residing in Berlin were interviewed. Emotional distress was assessed by the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and SES was examined by level of education, employment status, and income. The associations of emotional distress and SES were estimated in multivariate linear regression analyses. Results: Unemployment was associated with increased levels of emotional distress in all women, with the highest level of distress in the group of unemployed Turkish women. The overall SES level was related to a greater level of emotional distress in Turkish women, but not in German women (-3.2, 95%CI -5.9 - -5; p = .020 vs. -8, 95%CI -2.7 - 1.2; p = .431). Further stratified analyses by relationship status revealed that the association of SES and emotional distress only remained significant among single women. Conclusion: The impact of socioeconomic hardship appears to be complicated by social roles and expectations related to these. Further in-depth study of the complex nature of the interaction of social roles and socioeconomic position in female Turkish immigrants in Germany is needed to better understand differing risk patterns for emotional distress. © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS.

Author Keywords

Socioeconomic status unemployment Emotional distress poverty risk Female Turkish immigrants

Index Keywords

unemployment Germany educational status immigrant Emotions poverty human middle aged Stress, Psychological priority journal Aged income social status Humans Adolescent Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors emotional stress Article employment status adult Women Turkey General Health Questionnaire social class
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84864511192&doi=10.1016%2fS0924-9338%2812%2975702-4&partnerID=40&md5=135ec8662c05991d8df8df0b7dddc6c0
DOI: 10.1016/S0924-9338(12)75702-4
ISSN: 09249338
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English