 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Michelle Choi, RN, MS, Public Health, Mental Health, and Administrative Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 South Damen #1015, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-996-9720, mchoi7@uic.edu, Arlene Michaels Miller, PhD, RN, Public Health, Mental Health & Admin. Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 South Damen, Room 1016, Chicago, IL 60077, and Peggy Chandler, PhD, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen, Chicago, IL 60612.
The purpose of this study is to examine relationships among individual resilience, family hardiness, and perceived stress in immigrant women from the former Soviet Union (FSU). Immigration presents challenges to well-being caused by changes in resources. Examining factors that contribute to mental health enables nurses to develop interventions that support existing strengths. This is an analysis of 222 women aged 40-70 from the FSU who participated in a study of acculturation and health. Participants lived in midwestern metropolitan areas and immigrated within the past eight years. A weak positive correlation between individual resilience and family hardiness suggests that they are related but different constructs. Length of stay in US was not significantly related to individual resilience, family hardiness, or perceived stress. Age at interview was negatively associated with family hardiness and positively associated with perceived stress. Women with lower family hardiness scores tended report higher stress scores. A statistically significant, negative correlation was also found between individual resilience and perceived stress. Age at interview, time in US, family hardiness, and perceived stress explained 18.6% of the variation in resilience scores, but only perceived stress was a significant contributor. Women with higher perceived stress had lower resilience scores. Age at interview, time in US, individual resilience, and perceived stress explained 22.1% of the variation in family hardiness, with age and perceived stress being significant contributors. Older women and those with higher perceived stress reported lower family hardiness. Findings suggest individual resilience and family hardiness may decrease perceived stress in immigrant women.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Immigrant Women, Women's Health
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.