Purpose: The immigration experience embodies a range of factors including different cultural norms and expectations, which may be particularly important for groups who become racial/ethnic minorities when they migrate to the US. However, little is known about the correlates of mental health indicators among these groups. The primary and secondary aims were to determine the association between duration of US residence and suicidality, and 12-month mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, respectively, among racial/ethnic minority immigrants.Methods: Data were obtained from the National Survey of American Life and the National Latino and Asian American Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between duration of US residence, and suicidality and 12-month psychopathology.Results: Among Afro-Caribbeans, there was a modest positive association between duration of US residence and 12-month psychopathology (Plinear trend = 0.016). Among Asians there was a modest positive association between duration of US residence and suicidal ideation and attempts (Plinear trend = 0.018, 0.063, respectively). Among Latinos, there was a positive association between duration of US residence, and suicidal ideation, attempts and 12-month psychopathology (Plinear trend = 0.001, 0.012, 0.002, respectively). Latinos who had been in the US for >20 years had 2.6 times greater likelihood of suicidal ideation relative to those who had been in the US for <5 years (95 % CI 1.01–6.78).Conclusions: The association between duration of US residence and suicidality and psychopathology varies across racial/ethnic minority groups. The results for Latino immigrants are broadly consistent with the goal-striving or acculturation stress hypothesis. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Migration Racial/ethnic minorities psychopathology psychiatric disorders Suicidality

mood disorder anxiety disorder demography minority group human middle aged suicide attempt statistics and numerical data Suicide Substance-Related Disorders Time Factors Suicide, Attempted Logistic Models Health Surveys Anxiety Disorders ethnology African American Hispanic Americans Residence Characteristics Cross-Sectional Studies United States Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant psychology Hispanic Humans Minority Groups Asian Americans male Emigrants and Immigrants Asian American female Multivariate Analysis Caribbean Region Caribbean adult addiction statistical model Mood Disorders African Americans time suicidal ideation health survey