Migrant Mental Health: a look at the relationship between the migration journey and mental health among new legal permanent residents in the United States Öffentlichkeit
Yee, Kristen Michelle (2012)
Abstract
Background: Migration theory and research have long
ignored the role of the
migration journey in influencing the health of international
migrants.
Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship
between the context of the
migration journey and migrant mental health among new legal
permanent residents in
the United States.
Methods: The NIS-2003-1 dataset contains information on a
nationally representative
sample of newly admitted to Legal Permanent Residents in the U.S.
from 2003. The
data collected include information on background characteristics;
migration histories;
health status, behaviors and practices; economic profile; family
life; and living
conditions of new legal permanent residents. The adult sample from
the NIS-2003-1 (N=8573) was
analyzed using logistic and linear regression to examine the
relationship between
factors in the migration journey and mental health, while
controlling for individual
background, pre-migration, and post-migration characteristics.
Results: Age at first migration and the time elapsed between
first applied for and
gained permanent residency were significant predictors of
experience of sadness in
this cohort. Older age at first migration was protective: with
every year increase in age,
the odds of experience of sadness lasting two weeks or more
decrease by 1.0%.
Relative to those who waited two years or less, those having to
wait six to nine years
between the time they first applied for and received permanent
residency were
significantly more likely to report sadness related to receipt of
permanent residency
(OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.46, 4.04). When other characteristics were
controlled, there was
no additional evidence of significant relationships between any
other migration
variables and mental health. Female gender, history of mental and
chronic illness, at
least one episode of binge drinking in the last three months, and
experience of harm
were all positively associated with experience of depressive
symptoms (p=0.000 for
all).
Conclusion: The migration journey should not be discounted
in migration and health
research as experiences related to the migration journey may help
predict mental
distress among new legal permanent residents in the U.S. Continued
investigation into
the influence the migration journey has on migrant mental health is
strongly
encouraged.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................ 1
Objective and aims.............................................................................................. 4
Global mental health............................................................................................ 4
International migrants and migration theory: an overview........................................ 5
Chapter 2: Literature Review................................................................................ 8
International migration levels, patterns, and trends in the United States..................... 8
The health of international migrants in the United States........................................ 12
The relationship between migration and health...................................................... 21
Acculturation and mental health among international migrants................................ 25
Chapter 3: Methods............................................................................................ 31
The New Immigrant Survey (NIS)........................................................................ 31
Data analysis..................................................................................................... 34
Chapter 4: Results.............................................................................................. 55
Chapter 5: Discussion......................................................................................... 83
Chapter 6: Recommendations.............................................................................. 92
Limitations......................................................................................................... 95
References......................................................................................................... 97
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