Mental health status of a Latin American community in New South Wales.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the levels and predictors of psychological distress within a Latin American community in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia.


METHODS
Participants (n = 184) were interviewed in their homes by a bilingual interviewer using a specially prepared questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12).


RESULTS
Of the 13 independent variables examined, two demographic and two immigrant-related variables were significantly associated with an above-threshold score: marital status, employment status, perceived discrimination, and dissatisfaction with life in Australia.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to results from other community surveys, the levels of psychological distress within this Latin American community appear to be relatively high.
Community, Aged and Mental Health Service, Hunter Area Health Service, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia.
R
R
McDonald
C
C
Vechi
J
J
Bowman
R
R
Sanson-Fisher
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics