Margarita Alegr??a|Glorisa Canino|Patrick E. Shrout|Matthew Woo|Naihua Duan|Doryliz Vila|Maria Torres|Chih-Nan Chen|Xiao?Li Meng
Prevalence of Mental Illness in Immigrant and Non-Immigrant U.S. Latino Groups
although widely reported among latino populations contradictory evidence exists regarding generalizability immigrant paradox ie foreign nativity protects psychiatric disorders authors examined whether paradox applies latino groups comparing estimates lifetime psychiatric disorders among immigrant latino subjects usborn latino subjects nonlatino white subjectsthe authors combined examined data national latino asian american study national comorbidity survey replication two largest nationally representative samples psychiatric informationin aggregate risk psychiatric disorders lower latino subjects nonlatino white subjects consistent immigrant paradox usborn latino subjects reported higher rates psychiatric disorders latino immigrants however rates varied data stratified nativity disorder adjusted demographic socioeconomic differences across groups immigrant paradox consistently held mexican subjects across mood anxiety substance disorders evident among cuban latino subjects substance disorders differences found lifetime prevalence rates migrant usborn puerto rican subjectscaution exercised generalizing immigrant paradox latino groups psychiatric disorders aggregating latino subjects single group masks significant variability lifetime risk psychiatric disorders subgroups puerto rican subjects suffering psychiatric disorders rates comparable nonlatino white subjects findings thus suggest immigrants benefit protective context country origin possibly inoculating risk substance disorders particularly emigrated united states adults