Neighbourhood context and diagnosed mental health conditions among immigrant and non-immigrant youth: a population-based cohort study in British Columbia, Canada.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol
; 58(5): 693-709, 2023 May.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35695905
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Evidence from systematic reviews suggests that adult immigrants living in areas of higher immigrant density (areas with a higher proportion of foreign-born residents) tend to experience fewer mental health problems-likely through less discrimination, greater access to culturally/linguistically appropriate services, and greater social support. Less is known about how such contexts are associated with mental health during childhood-a key period in the onset and development of many mental health challenges. This study examined associations between neighbourhood immigrant density and youth mental health conditions in British Columbia (BC; Canada).METHODS:
Census-derived neighbourhood characteristics were linked to medical records for youth present in ten of BC's largest school districts from age 5 through 19 over the study period (1995-2016; n = 138,090). Occurrence of physician assessed diagnoses of mood and/or anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorder was inferred through International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnostic codes in universal public health insurance records. Multi-level logistic regression was used to model associations between neighbourhood characteristics and odds of diagnoses for each condition; models were stratified by generation status (first-generation foreign-born; second-generation Canadian-born to a foreign-born parent; non-immigrant).RESULTS:
Higher neighbourhood immigrant density was associated with lower odds of disorders among first-generation immigrant youth (e.g., adjusted odds of mood-anxiety disorders for those in neighbourhoods with the highest immigrant density were 0.67 times lower (95% CI 0.49, 0.92) than those in neighbourhoods with the lowest immigrant density). Such protective associations generally extended to second-generation and non-immigrant youth, but were-for some disorders-stronger for first-generation than second-generation or non-immigrant youth.CONCLUSIONS:
Findings suggest there may be protective mechanisms associated with higher neighbourhood immigrant density for mental health conditions in immigrant and non-immigrant youth. It is important that future work examines potential pathways by which contextual factors impact immigrant and non-immigrant youth mental health.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Salud Mental
/
Emigrantes e Inmigrantes
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIAS SOCIAIS
/
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
/
PSIQUIATRIA
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá