Anxiety Disorders among US Immigrants: The Role of Immigrant Background and Social-Psychological Factors.
Magdalena Szaflarski, Lisa A Cubbins, Karthikeyan Meganathan
PMID 28379742WHAT IT FOUND
US-born adults had more anxiety disorders than foreign-born adults, but foreign-born Puerto Ricans and Mexicans had higher risk.
Stress and discrimination in other areas of life were linked to more anxiety, while close social ties were linked to less.
Key findings
01Foreign-born respondents had lower anxiety disorder prevalence than US-born respondents (8.6% versus 13.1%), but prevalence varied by origin, from 15.8% among Puerto Ricans to 9.5% among Asian/Pacific Islanders.
02After adjustment, foreign-born Africans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and other Hispanics/Latinos were less likely to have anxiety disorders than US-born counterparts, while non-US-born Puerto Ricans and Mexicans were more likely.
03Stressful life events, perceived stress, and discrimination in other areas of life were associated with higher anxiety risk, while close social ties and social support were associated with lower risk.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is observational, so it cannot show that stress, discrimination, social ties, or origin cause anxiety disorders. Some key social factors were measured only at Wave 2, so the timing between those factors and anxiety outcomes is not fully clear. Broad racial-ethnic categories can hide differences between countries and cultures within groups. Some respondents with missing data were excluded. Mental disorder diagnosis in a general population survey may be affected by misclassification, especially among minority groups.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that being foreign-born protects against anxiety. The study is observational, and non-US-born Puerto Ricans and Mexicans had higher adjusted anxiety risk than US-born counterparts.