title: Neighborhood characteristics and differential risk for depressive and anxiety disorders across racial/ethnic groups in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of psychiatric disorders varies depending on the person's neighborhood context, their racial/ethnic group, and the specific diagnoses being examined. Less is known about specific neighborhood features that represent differential risk for depressive and anxiety disorders (DAD) across racial/ethnic groups in the United States. This study examines whether neighborhood etiologic factors are associated with DAD, above and beyond individual-level characteristics, and whether these associations are moderated by race/ethnicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We utilized nationally representative data (N = 13,837) from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies (CPES-Geocode file). Separate weighted multilevel logistic regression models were fitted for any past-year depressive and/or anxiety disorder, any depressive disorder only, and any anxiety disorder only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for individual-level characteristics, African Americans living in a neighborhood with greater affluence and Afro-Caribbeans residing in more residentially unstable neighborhoods were at increased risk for any past-year depressive disorder as compared to their non-Latino white counterparts. Further, Latinos residing in neighborhoods with greater levels of Latino/immigrant concentration were at increased risk of any past-year anxiety disorder. Lastly, Asians living in neighborhoods with higher levels of economic disadvantage were at decreased risk of any past-year depressive and/or anxiety disorders compared to non-Latino whites, independent of individual-level factors. Differences across subethnic groups are also evident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest neighborhood characteristics operate differently on risk for DAD across racial/ethnic groups. Our findings have important implications for designing and targeting interventions to address DAD risk among racial/ethnic minorities.
authors.affiliation: Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research, Cambridge Health Alliance, Somerville, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.forename: Kristine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Chih-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044382:Population Groups / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anxiety; depression; nativity, subethnicity; neighborhood; racial/ethnic minorities