title: Generalized anxiety disorder in racial and ethnic minorities: a case of nativity and contextual factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minorities comprise more than one third of the U.S., and research on the correlates and causes of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses have yielded mixed results in minority groups necessitating an understanding of causes and correlates of health. Thus, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between minority status, contextual factors, and lifetime Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression models were implemented, comparing immigrants to their American-born counterparts as well as to American-born Whites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Foreign-born Afro-Caribbeans exhibited lower rates of lifetime GAD. A lower percentage of foreign-born minorities met the criteria for GAD as compared to their American-born counterparts, and all racial and ethnic groups met the criteria for lifetime GAD at a lower rate as compared to American-born Whites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By using theory proactively and including contextual factors, this multi-faceted approach to health disparities research yielded findings which both supported historic beliefs but created opportunities for supplemental research looking at immigrants and GAD. Key findings were that health lifestyle choices and exposure to discrimination significantly affected the chance of having GAD. Nativity was protective; however, its effect was ameliorated by exposure to discrimination or engagement in alcohol abuse. Thus, this study offers practical insight into environmental factors for clinicians caring for racial and ethnic minorities diagnosed with GAD.
authors: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Health Care Organization and Policy, 517D Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States; University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health, 517 Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States. Electronic address: budhwani@uab.edu.
authors: Henna
authors: H
authors: Budhwani
authors: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Health Services Administration, 563 School of Health Professions Building, 1705 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
authors: Kristine Ria
authors: KR
authors: Hearld
authors: University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health, 517 Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Chavez-Yenter
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American
keywords: Discrimination; Gender; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Immigrants; Nativity