Mental disorders among English-speaking Mexican immigrants to the US compared to a national sample of Mexicans

Abstract

Our understanding of the relationship between immigration and mental health can be advanced by comparing immigrants pre-and post-immigration with residents of the immigrants' home countries. DSM-IV anxiety and mood disorders were assessed using identical methods in representative samples of English-speaking Mexican immigrants to the US, a subsample of the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCSR), and Mexicans, the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey (MNCS). Retrospective reports of age of onset of disorders and, in the immigrant sample, age of immigration were analyzed to study the associations of pre-existing mental disorders with immigration and of immigration with the subsequent onset and persistence of mental disorders. Preexisting anxiety disorders predicted immigration (OR=3.0; 95% CI 1.2-7.4). Immigration predicted subsequent onset of anxiety (OR=1.9; 95% CI 0.9-3.9) and mood (OR=2.3; 95% CI 1.3-4.0) disorders and persistence of anxiety (OR=3.7 95% CI 1.2-11.2) disorders. The results are inconsistent with the "healthy immigrant" hypothesis (that mentally healthy people immigrate) and partly consistent with the "acculturation stress" hypothesis (i.e., that stresses of living in a foreign culture promote mental disorder). Replication and extension of these results in a larger bi-national sample using a single field staff are needed.

Health Selection among Migrants from Mexico to the U.S.: Childhood Predictors of Adult Physical and Mental Health

“…Both studies used information on age at migration to identify mental health problems that began prior to migration. Breslau et al 13 found that anxiety disorders were associated with a higher likelihood of subsequent migration, suggesting negative selection (i.e., worse mental health among migrants prior to migration than non-migrants). However, the migrant sample in that study was small (n575) and limited to proficient English speakers.…”

Prevalence of Mental Health Issues in the Borderlands: A Comparative Perspective

“…First, birthplace does not appear to have the same correlation to mental health as has been found in nonborder regions. Rates of depression for Mexican-born residents of both colonias are significantly higher than reported among California Hispanics by as well as among residents of Mexico City (Breslau et al, 2007;. Second, place of birth appeared to make no difference in rates of depression among U.S.-born and Mexican-born residents of San Elizario.…”

Diagnosing Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care: Evaluation of a New Training Tool

“…Individuals who suffer from cormorbid illnesses have greater impairment than individuals who suffer from one only (CTPSD, 2007). PTSD may affect civilians differently, but comorbidity is also common for them (Breslau et al, 2007;CGWH, 2006;CTPSD, 2007;Kessler, 2000;Ruzek, 2003).…”