International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 6, 2019

Effects of neighborhood discrimination towards mainland immigrants on mental health in Hong Kong (Article) (Open Access)

Chen J.* , Li Z. , Xu D. , Wu X.
  • a Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, GH305, Hong Kong
  • b College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Room 517, Technology Building, 3688 Nanhai Ave, Shenzhen, 518060, China
  • c Division of Social Science, Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Room 3302, Academic Building, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
  • d Division of Social Science, Center for Applied Social and Economic Research (CASER), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Room 3374, Academic Building, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract

Using data from a representative sample of Chinese adults who were surveyed in the Hong Kong Panel Study of Social Dynamics (HKPSSD), we estimate the effects of neighborhood discrimination towards immigrants from Mainland China on the mental health of Chinese residents in Hong Kong. Contrary to our expectations, discrimination towards immigrants from Mainland China measured at the neighborhood level is not associated with the poor mental health of post-1997 immigrants; instead, a higher level of immigrant discrimination is associated with a lower level of psychological distress for both post-1997 Mainland immigrants and other Chinese residents in Hong Kong. A functional family also appears to be a consistent predictor of better mental health for both groups. Our findings, therefore, suggest that immigrant discrimination can signify a prejudice that leads to social distance or avoidance and that the post-1997 Mainland immigrants do not have extensive contact with other local residents in Hong Kong. Although local residents’ discriminatory attitudes may not result in aggressive behaviors that have a negative impact on newcomers’ mental health, the social distance between the immigrants and the local residents is still an issue that requires further research and practical attention. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Family function HKPSSD immigrants Neighborhood Mental health discrimination

Index Keywords

China social distance immigrant mental health human middle aged Asian continental ancestry group controlled study mental stress ethnology neighborhood resident Surveys and Questionnaires Humans migrant human tissue Aggression avoidance behavior psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics questionnaire Article adult Prejudice Hong Kong expectation attention panel study
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85063603637&doi=10.3390%2fijerph16061025&partnerID=40&md5=ebbdff69424fbe5b06ca7ef6cbd2c26d
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16061025
ISSN: 16617827
Original Language: English