Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume 52, Issue 10, 2017, Pages 1325-1328

Immigrants from Mexico experience serious behavioral and psychiatric problems at far lower rates than US-born Americans (Article)

Salas-Wright C.P.* , Vaughn M.G. , Goings T.C.
  • a School of Social Work, Boston University, 264 Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215, United States
  • b School of Social Work, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Tegeler Hall, 3550 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103, United States
  • c School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 325 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of self-reported criminal and violent behavior, substance use disorders, and mental disorders among Mexican immigrants vis-à-vis the US born. Methods: Study findings are based on national data collected between 2012 and 2013. Binomial logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and behavioral/psychiatric outcomes. Results: Mexican immigrants report substantially lower levels of criminal and violent behaviors, substance use disorders, and mental disorders compared to US-born individuals. Conclusion: While some immigrants from Mexico have serious behavioral and psychiatric problems, Mexican immigrants in general experience such problems at far lower rates than US-born individuals. © 2017, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.

Author Keywords

Violence and crime immigrants Substance abuse Mental health Mexico

Index Keywords

human epidemiology Self Report violence statistics and numerical data Substance-Related Disorders drug dependence ethnology Mexico Mental Disorders mental disease United States Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants female prevalence Mexican American adult criminal behavior Mexican Americans
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85027310053&doi=10.1007%2fs00127-017-1425-6&partnerID=40&md5=f3aec33698741f12f5e3c60cd9e35b48
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-017-1425-6
ISSN: 09337954
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English