The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #56604

Gauri Bhattacharya, DSW, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1207 W. Oregon Street, Urbana, IL 61801, 217 544-5222, gbhattac@uiuc.edu

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between the perception of social prejudice (in terms of wealth, social recognition, and community position)from within-group members and poor health outcomes (psychological distress and substance abuse) in acculturating new immigrants from India to New York City. The assumptions of homogeneity in each immigrant group and the expectation of mutual support available within the community for the newcomers have overlooked the presence of potential within-group prejudice. This community-based research explored health outcomes in sociocultural contexts of preimmigration expectations and postimmigration experiences. Methods: This study drew on qualitative data collected by a single interviwer through semistructured interviews in NYC between November 2001 and May 2002. Twenty-one men participated in in-depth, audiotaped interviews. Community-based maximum variation purposive sampling was used to enhance the diversity of participants in terms of age, number of years living in NYC, educational level, and occupational categories. Findings: Although all immigrants from India came to the same "land of opportunity" with a dream of succeeding, the newcomers found themselves in a culturally accepted and socially defined class structure, similar to India, in NYC. Hopelessness and frustration about future achievements were associated with depression and substance abuse among the distinctly different newcomers. The level of economic stability was the primary determining factor for within-group prejudice. Conclusions: An acculturative stress-coping model is developed to understand social prejudice as a predictor of poor health consequences. Culturally sensitive mental health and substance abuse interventions must address the immigrants' perception of within-group, in addition to between-group, prejudice issues.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to (
• identify the ways in which sociocultural factors at the community level influence health behavior at the individual level, (
• distinguish between within- and between-group social prejudice, and (
• recognize the implications of the findings for developing educational and preventive services.

Keywords: Immigrants, Risk Factors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.