Depressive symptomatology and mental health help-seeking patterns of U.S.- and foreign-born mothers.
OBJECTIVE
This report presents the national estimates of maternal depressive symptomatology prevalence and its socio-demographic correlates among major racial/ethnic-nativity groups in the United States. We also examined the relationship of mental health-seeking patterns by race/ethnicity and nativity.


METHODS
Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Birth Cohort Nine-month data, we present the distribution of Center for Epidemiological Study-Depression (CES-D) score by new mothers' nativity and race/ethnicity. The mental health-seeking pattern study was limited to mothers with moderate to severe symptoms. Weighted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals for depression score categories were presented by race/ethnic groups and nativity. Multi-variable logistic regression was used to obtain the adjusted odds ratios of help-seeking patterns by race/ethnicity and nativity in mothers with moderate to severe symptoms.


RESULTS
Compared to foreign-born mothers, mothers born in the U.S. were more likely to have moderate to severe depressive symptoms in every racial/ethnic group except for Asian/Pacific Islanders. These US-born mothers were also more likely to be teenagers, lack a partner at home, and live in rural areas. Among Asians, Filipina mothers had the highest rate of severe depressive symptoms (9.6%), similar to those of US-born black mothers (10.2%). Racial/ethnic minorities and foreign-born mothers were less likely to consult doctors (OR: 2.2 to 2.5) or think they needed consultation (OR: 1.9 to 2.2) for their emotional problems compare to non-Hispanic White mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our research suggests that previous "global estimates" on Asian American mental health underestimated sub-ethnic group differences. More efforts are needed to overcome the barriers in mental health services access and utilizations, especially in minority and foreign-born populations.
Huang
Zhihuan Jennifer
ZJ
Department of International Health, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University, 3700 Reservoir Road NW, Box 571107, Washington, DC 20057, USA. zh34@georgetown.edu
Wong
Frank Y
FY
Ronzio
Cynthia R
CR
Yu
Stella M
SM
D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology