title: Mental Health and Exposure to the United States: Key Correlates from the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latinos.
abstract: We examined the association between exposure to the U.S. and symptoms of poor mental health among adult Hispanic/Latinos (N = 15,004) overall and by Hispanic/Latino background. Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), we estimated logistic regressions to model the risk of moderate to severe symptoms of psychological distress, depression, and anxiety as a function of years in the U.S. and six key psychosocial risk and protective factors. In unadjusted models, increased time in the U.S. was associated with higher risk of poor mental health. After adjustment for just three key factors--perceived discrimination, perceived U.S. social standing, and the size of close social networks--differences in the odds of poor mental health by years in the U.S became insignificant for Hispanics/Latinos overall. However, analyses by Hispanic/Latino background revealed different patterns of association with exposure to the U.S. that could not be fully explained.
authors.affiliation: *Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC; †Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; ‡Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL; §Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA; ∥Institute for Minority Health Research, University of Illinois, Chicago; and ¶Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
authors.forename: Krista M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Perreira
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gotman
authors.forename: Carmen R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Isasi
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arguelles
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Castañeda
authors.forename: Martha L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Daviglus
authors.forename: Aida L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Giachello
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Penedo
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wassertheil-Smoller
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011584:Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult