Mental disorders among undocumented Mexican immigrants in high-risk neighborhoods: Prevalence, comorbidity, and vulnerabilities.

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to: (a) provide population-based estimates for the prevalence of mental disorders, including substance use, among undocumented Mexican immigrants; (b) assess for relevant comorbidities; and (c) identify sociodemographic, immigration and contextual vulnerabilities associated with meeting criteria for a disorder. Method This cross-sectional study used Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) to collect and analyze data from clinical interviews with 248 undocumented Mexican immigrants residing near the California–Mexico border. The M.I.N.I. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used as the primary outcome of interest. For all analyses, inferential statistics accounted for design effects and sample weights to produce weighted estimates. Logistic regression was used in multivariate analyses. Results Overall, 23% of participants met criteria for a disorder (95% CI = 17.1; 29.0). The most prevalent disorders were Major Depressive Disorder (14%, 95% CI = 10.2; 18.6), Panic Disorder (8%, 95% CI = 5.0; 11.9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (7%, 95% CI = 3.4; 9.8). Approximately 4% of participants met criteria for a substance use disorder (95% CI = 1.2; 6.1). After controlling for covariates, being 18 to 25 years and experiencing distress from postmigration living difficulties were significantly associated with meeting criteria for a disorder. Conclusion Undocumented Mexican immigrants are an at-risk population for mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety disorders. Given that distress from postmigration living difficulties is associated with meeting criteria for a disorder, revisiting policies and developing new alternatives to facilitate access and provision of context-sensitive mental health services for this population is necessary to protect the human rights of these immigrants and that of their U.S. families.

Immigration Enforcement Policies and the Mental Health of US Citizens: Findings from a Comparative Analysis

“…Certainly, knowing someone who has been detained or deported may also affect non‐Latinx communities in the US, but with the majority of detentions and deportations targeting Latinx individuals (Ryo & Peacock, 2018), Latinx communities are more likely to experience loss of family or social ties (Hatzenbuehler et al, 2017). Heightened detention and deportation threat against Latinx migrants has had negative mental health and physical health consequences on those who are legally vulnerable (Garcini et al, 2016, 2017; Garcini, Renzaho, Molina, & Ayala, 2018; Schwartz et al, 2014; Torres, DeCarlo Santiago, Kaufka Walts, & Richards, 2018; Vargas, Juárez, Sanchez, & Livaudais, 2018). Recently, research has begun to document the harm of detentions and deportations on those who are not legally vulnerable, such as US‐citizen Latinxs, although much of this research has focused on children (Allen, Cisneros, & Tellez, 2015; Gulbas et al, 2016; Rojas‐Flores, Clements, Hwang Koo, & London, 2017; Zayas, Aguilar‐Gaxiola, Yoon, & Rey, 2015).…”

The Mental Health Implications of Living in the Shadows: The Lived Experience and Coping Strategies of Undocumented African Migrant Women

“…Though African immigrants arrive to their Western host countries being relatively healthy, a phenomenon termed "the healthy immigrant effect", this advantage erodes with time. This is notable in mental health outcomes of immigrants for whom rates of mental health conditions increase over time to match the general population [33] as well as for undocumented immigrants who have higher rates of anxiety, panic disorder and depression compared to the general population [34]. This change has been attributed to a combination of factors including experiences of discrimination, which have been identified as a significant risk factor and a driver of psychological distress in immigrants [22,32,35].…”

Should Immigration Status Information Be Considered Protected Health Information?

“…For example, a recent study on the health of Mexican undocumented immigrants in the United States found that a significant percentage (23%) of participants in the study had a mental disorder. 12 The authors of the study explain:…”

“…Also, common to the undocumented experience is discrimination, stigmatization, marginalization, isolation, fear of deportation, exploitability, victimization, living in unsafe neighborhoods, and socioeconomic disadvantage. 12 Clinicians recognize this reality, and it is a clinically relevant reason to ask patients about their immigration status. The study just referenced suggests that undocumented status is a risk factor for mental disorders.…”