Disentangling immigrant status in mental health: Psychological protective and risk factors among Latino and Asian American immigrants.

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHPI) older adults, and AAs/NHPIs have not enjoyed decreases in CVD mortality rates, as have non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). Heterogeneity exists in the prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors for AAs/NHPIs. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) reflect physical and mental burdens beyond clinical burdens, which may help explain discrepant CVD rates and risk factors in AAs/NHPIs. We examined HRQOL among NHW and AA/NHPI Medicare Advantage enrollees with and without a CVD (i.e., coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke) using the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey. The sample included 655,914 older adults who were 65 years or older, self-reported as AA/NHPI or NHW, and were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in 2011-2015. HRQOL was measured using the Veterans RAND 12-item survey and is composed of a physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS), where higher scores reflect better physical and mental health, respectively. Multivariable linear regression was used to explore HRQOL and CVD prevalence. Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Other Asian, and NHPI subgroups had lower overall PCS, and all AA/NHPI subgroups had lower overall MCS, compared to NHWs. Among those reporting having any CVD, PCS varied by CVD outcomes and subgroups, whereas MCS was lower for all CVD outcomes and for all but one AA/NHPI subgroups (Japanese), compared to NHWs. Attention to mental health for AA/NHPI older adults could be important for the equitable realization of healthy aging.

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Immigration-related stressors and mental health problems among Asian-American Immigrants

International Journal of Population Studies ◽

10.18063/ijps.2017.01.002. ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

Sizhe Liu ◽

Wei Zhang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Religious Coping ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Asian American ◽

Limited English Proficiency ◽

English Proficiency ◽

Religious Involvement ◽

Asian American Immigrants

Focusing on Asian-American immigrants in the National Latino and Asian American Study, this work examines (1) whether immigration-related stressors are associated with 12-month depressive disorder and suicidal ideation, and (2) how individual religious involvement moderates the associations. Findings from regression analyses reveal that limited English proficiency increases the risk of both 12-month depressive disorder and suicidal ideation. No significant differences in 12-month depressive disorder and suicidal ideation are found by age at immigration. Most importantly, religious coping — frequently seeking comfort from religion — buffers the negative effects of limited English proficiency on suicidal ideation. Our findings suggest the importance of individual religious involvement in helping Asian-American immigrants cope with stress associated with immigration. Mental health professionals may need to integrate religious coping mechanisms into the clinical setting to offer more effective treatments that are sensitive to individuals’ religious and spiritual needs.

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Associations of Employment Frustration with Self-Rated Physical and Mental Health Among Asian American Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Force

Public Health Nursing ◽

10.1111/j.1525-1446.2010.00891.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 492-503 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

A.B. De Castro ◽

Tessa Rue ◽

David T. Takeuchi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Labor Force ◽

Asian American ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Asian American Immigrants ◽

The U.S

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Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration in Latino Men: The Mediating Effects of Mental Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17218148 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (21) ◽

pp. 8148

Author(s):

Ana Isabel Maldonado ◽

Carol B. Cunradi ◽

Anna María Nápoles

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Ethnic Discrimination ◽

Immigrant Status ◽

Latino Men ◽

Ipv Perpetration ◽

Racial Ethnic

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities in the U.S. This study examines risk factors for IPV perpetration that are salient for racial/ethnic minorities; specifically, we test if racial/ethnic discrimination among Latino men is associated with IPV perpetration, if poor mental health (MH) mediates this link, and whether relationships differ by immigrant status. Methods: Using National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-II) Wave 2 (2004–2005) data, multigroup structural equation modeling compared immigrant (N = 1187) and U.S.-born (N = 1077) Latinos on a mediation model whereby discrimination increases IPV risk via poor MH (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress (PTSS); alcohol dependence (AD) and drug dependence (DD)). Results: For U.S.-born Latinos, discrimination increased anxiety (β = 0.24, p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.16, p < 0.001), PTSS (β = 0.09, p < 0.001), AD (β = 0.11, p < 0.001) and DD (β = 0.16, p < 0.001); anxiety (β = 0.16, p < 0.001), AD (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) and DD (β = 0.09, p < 0.01) increased IPV risk. Among Latino immigrants, discrimination increased anxiety (β = 0.07, p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.16, p < 0.001), PTSS (β = 0.08, p < 0.001) and DD (β = 0.03, p < 0.001); PTSS (β = 0.16, p < 0.001), AD (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and DD (β = 0.05, p < 0.01) increased IPV risk. Conclusions: Among Latino men, discrimination is associated with poorer MH and contributes to IPV perpetration; MH risk factors vary by immigrant status.

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