Prevalence of psychiatric disorders across Latino subgroups in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and substance use disorders among Latinos residing in the United States.


METHODS
We used data from the National Latino and Asian American Study, which included a nationally representative sample of Latinos. We calculated weighted prevalence rates of lifetime and past-year psychiatric disorders across different sociodemographic, ethnic, and immigration groups.


RESULTS
Lifetime psychiatric disorder prevalence estimates were 28.1% for men and 30.2% for women. Puerto Ricans had the highest overall prevalence rate among the Latino ethnic groups assessed. Increased rates of psychiatric disorders were observed among US-born, English-language-proficient, and third-generation Latinos.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results provide important information about potential correlates of psychiatric problems among Latinos that can inform clinical practice and guide program development. Stressors associated with cultural transmutation may exert particular pressure on Latino men. Continued attention to environmental influences, especially among third-generation Latinos, is an important area for substance abuse program development.
Alegría
Margarita
M
Center for Multi-cultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Mass 02143, USA. malegria@charesearch.org
Mulvaney-Day
Norah
N
Torres
Maria
M
Polo
Antonio
A
Cao
Zhun
Z
Canino
Glorisa
G
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003462:Cuba / Q000208:ethnology; D003710:Demography; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016730:Program Development; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology