Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109862

Diane B. McNaughton, PhD, RN¹, Julia Muennich Cowell, PhD, RNC, FAAN², Louis Fogg, PhD³, Sarah H. Ailey, PhD, RN⁴, and Deborah A. Gross, DNSc, RN⁴. (1) Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 S. Paulina Street, Suite 1080, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-942-7766, Diane_B_McNaughton@rush.edu, (2) Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 South Paulina, 1080 Armour Academic Center, Chicago, IL 60612, (3) Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University, 600 South Paulina, Chicago, IL 60612, (4) College of Nursing, Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University, 600 S. Paulina Street, 1080 AAC, Chicago, IL 60612

Mexican immigrant women experience depressive symptoms at rates higher than other ethnic groups in the USA. The literature on mental health in Mexican immigrants points to various reasons why immigrants may be depressed such as low socioeconomic status, acculturation stress, and low levels of social support. In the Rush Mexican American Problem Solving Program (Rush MAPS), 31% of urban dwelling, low income Mexican immigrant women (N=302) reported depressive symptoms above the established cut-point for referral for further evaluation and treatment.

In an effort to understand predictors of depressive symptoms in our sample, a secondary data analysis of baseline data from the Rush MAPS study was done using structural equation modeling. The MAPS model guided the study and is comprised of three conceptual elements: background and personal variables, nurse/client interaction variables and outcome variables. Background, personal, and outcome variables were operationalized for this analysis. Satisfaction with family functioning and stress were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. In particular, women with depressive symptoms reported decreased satisfaction in relationships with their partners and troubles with their children. Factors protective of mental health were family hardiness and family problem solving communication. Future mental health promotion research for Mexican immigrant mothers should focus directly on enhancing family communication and family hardiness.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify predictors of depression in Mexican immigrant women.
• Describe factors protective of mental health in Mexican immigrant women.
• State the focus of interventions that may prevent depression in Mexican immigrant women.

Keywords: Mental Health, Immigrant Women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.