141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

277310
Immigration and depression among racial/ethnic minority groups in the US


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Monique J. Brown, MPH, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Division of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Briana Mezuk, PhD, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Division of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Introduction: There has been a rapid increase in immigration of Latino, Asian, and Caribbean populations to the US in recent decades. However, little is known about the epidemiology of depression among these groups.

Objective: To determine the association between time in the US and depression among racial/ethnic minority immigrants.

Methods: Data were obtained from the National Survey of American Life and the National Latino and Asian American Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between time in the US and suicidal behavior among racial/ethnic minority immigrant groups. Linear and non-linear trends in depression risk were assessed.

Results: Among Latinos there was a positive association between time in the US and depression (Plinear trend = 0.010). Compared to individuals who had been in the US <5 years, those who have been here >20 years had 2.29 greater odds (95% CI: 1.10-4.76) of having major depressive disorder in the past 12 months. There was no significant association between years in the US and depression among Afro-Caribbeans and among Asians.

Conclusions: The association between immigration and depression varies across racial/ethnic minority groups. The results for Latino immigrants are broadly consistent with the goal-striving or acculturation stress hypothesis where depression risk among immigrants increases the longer they live in the US.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess the association between time in the US and depression among racial/ethnic minority groups Discuss the public health implications of the association between time in the US and depression among racial/ethnic minority groups

Keyword(s): Depression, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have done extensive coursework in my Master of Public Health program at Brown University and in the PhD program in Epidemiology at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in epidemiologic research methods, biostatistics and psychiatric epidemiology. I am also the first author on a manuscript under review examining the association between time in the US and suicidal behavior among racial/ethnic minority immigrant groups.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3019.0: Barriers and enablers promoting or impeding health and human rights of immigrants and refugees locally and globally 2