A comparison of quality of life and depression between female married immigrants and native married women in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Immigration to Taiwan is often connected with marriage, resulting in the presence of so-called married immigrants or foreign brides.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the quality of life (QOL) and prevalence of depression between female married immigrants and native married women.


METHODS
Trained assistants used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36) and the disaster-related psychological screening test (DRPST) to interview 1,602 married women who were 16-50 years of age. Half (801) of the participants were female immigrants, whilst the remainder comprised the age-matched control group that consisted of 801 native married women. Participants who scored C2 (probable major depressive episode) on the DRPST were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria by a senior psychiatrist. The MOS SF-36 measures QOL and has two dimensions: the physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS).


RESULTS
Married immigrants had a lower prevalence (3.5%) of major depressive episodes than native women (8.9%) in Taiwan. Variables such as an increased severity of psychosocial impact were the best predictors of a lower PCS and MCS.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to Taiwanese native married women, fewer married immigrants had stressful life events or depression, and they reported higher QOL. After controlling for putative confounding factors, the married immigrants still had better mental QOL and a lower prevalence rate of depression
Chou
Frank Huang-Chih
FH
Department of Nursing, Meiho Institute of Technology, Pintung, Taiwan.
Chen
Pei-Chun
PC
Liu
Renyi
R
Ho
Chi-Kung
CK
Tsai
Kuan-Yi
KY
Ho
Wen-Wei
WW
Chao
Shin-Shin
SS
Lin
Kung-Shih
KS
Shen
Shih-Pei
SP
Chen
Cheng-Chung
CC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003663:Decision Trees; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D044382:Population Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology