title: Who is distressed? A comparison of psychosocial stress in pregnancy across seven ethnicities.
abstract: Calgary, Alberta has the fourth highest immigrant population in Canada and ethnic minorities comprise 28 % of its total population. Previous studies have found correlations between minority status and poor pregnancy outcomes. One explanation for this phenomenon is that minority status increases the levels of stress experienced during pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to identify specific types of maternal psychosocial stress experienced by women of an ethnic minority (Asian, Arab, Other Asian, African, First Nations and Latin American).
  
  
  
  A secondary analysis of variables that may contribute to maternal psychosocial stress was conducted using data from the All Our Babies prospective pregnancy cohort (N = 3,552) where questionnaires were completed at < 24 weeks of gestation and between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation. Questionnaires included standardized measures of perceived stress, anxiety, depression, physical and emotional health, and social support. Socio-demographic data included immigration status, language proficiency in English, ethnicity, age, and socio-economic status.
  
  
  
  Findings from this study indicate that women who identify with an ethnic minority were more likely to report symptoms of depression, anxiety, inadequate social support, and problems with emotional and physical health during pregnancy than women who identified with the White reference group.
  
  
  
  This study has identified that women of an ethic minority experience greater psychosocial stress in pregnancy compared to the White reference group.
authors: Faculty of Education, Counselling Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Alexandra M
authors: AM
authors: Robinson
authors: Faculty of Nursing, and Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. benzies@ucalgary.ca.
authors: Karen M
authors: KM
authors: Benzies
authors: Faculty of Education, Counselling Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Sharon L
authors: SL
authors: Cairns
authors: Information Technologies, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Tak
authors: T
authors: Fung
authors: Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Suzanne C
authors: SC
authors: Tough
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D001007:Anxiety / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Immigration; Mental health; Minority status; Pregnancy; Psychosocial stress