Display options
Cite
Ward JB, Feinstein L, Vines AI, et al. Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among US Latinos: the modifying role of educational attainment. Ethn Health. 2017;24(3):271-286doi: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378.
Ward, J. B., Feinstein, L., Vines, A. I., Robinson, W. R., Haan, M. N., & Aiello, A. E. (2019). Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among US Latinos: the modifying role of educational attainment. Ethnicity & health, 24(3), 271-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378
Ward, Julia B, et al. "Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among US Latinos: the modifying role of educational attainment." Ethnicity & health vol. 24,3 (2019): 271-286. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378
Ward JB, Feinstein L, Vines AI, Robinson WR, Haan MN, Aiello AE. Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among US Latinos: the modifying role of educational attainment. Ethn Health. 2019 Apr;24(3):271-286. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378. Epub 2017 Apr 12. PMID: 28399649; PMCID: PMC5683937.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Ethn Health. 2019 Apr;24(3):271-286. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among US Latinos: the modifying role of educational attainment.

Ethnicity & health

Julia B Ward, Lydia Feinstein, Anissa I Vines, Whitney R Robinson, Mary N Haan, Allison E Aiello

Affiliations

  1. a Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA.
  2. b Carolina Population Center , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , USA.
  3. c Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. , Durham , USA.
  4. d Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , University of California , San Francisco , USA.

PMID: 28399649 PMCID: PMC5683937 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1315378

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite growing evidence that discrimination may contribute to poor mental health, few studies have assessed this association among US Latinos. Furthermore, the interaction between discrimination and educational attainment in shaping Latino mental health is virtually unexplored. This study aims to examine the association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms and the modifying role of education among a population of Mexican-origin adults.

DESIGN: We utilized population-based data from 629 Mexican-origin adults (mean age = 52.8 years) participating the Niños Lifestyle and Diabetes Study (2013-2014). Perceived discrimination was defined as responding 'sometimes' or 'often' to at least one item on the 9-item Everyday Discrimination Scale. High depressive symptoms were defined as scoring ≥10 on the CESD-10. We used log-binomial and linear-binomial models to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and prevalence differences (PD), respectively, of high depressive symptoms for levels of perceived discrimination. Final models were adjusted for age, sex, education, cultural orientation, and nativity. General estimating equations were employed to account for within-family clustering.

RESULTS: Prevalence of perceived discrimination and high depressive symptoms were 49.5% and 29.2%, respectively. Participants experiencing discrimination had higher depressive symptom prevalence than those never or rarely experiencing discrimination [PR = 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46-2.58; PD = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.12-0.27]. The strength of this association varied by education level. The association between discrimination and depressive symptoms was stronger among those with >12 years of education (PR = 2.69; PD = 0.24) compared to those with ≤12 years of education (PR = 1.36; PD = 0.09).

CONCLUSION: US Latinos suffer a high burden of depressive symptoms, and discrimination may be an important driver of this burden. Our results suggest that effortful coping strategies, such as achieving high education despite high perceived discrimination, may magnify discrimination's adverse effect on Latino mental health.

Keywords: Discrimination; depressive symptoms; education; latinos; mental health; socioeconomic status

References

  1. Soc Sci Res. 2012 May;41(3):657-70 - PubMed
  2. Care Manag J. 2005 Summer;6(2):98-106 - PubMed
  3. J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2015 Jul 07;13(3):A136-45 - PubMed
  4. Am J Public Health. 2006 Oct;96(10):1821-8 - PubMed
  5. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Sep;27(6):893-903 - PubMed
  6. Am J Epidemiol. 1987 Oct;126(4):664-73 - PubMed
  7. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Aug 9-23;159(15):1701-4 - PubMed
  8. Am J Psychiatry. 2008 Mar;165(3):359-69 - PubMed
  9. Cult Med Psychiatry. 1994 Jun;18(2):163-82 - PubMed
  10. J Health Soc Behav. 1999 Sep;40(3):208-30 - PubMed
  11. J Youth Adolesc. 2011 Feb;40(2):125-39 - PubMed
  12. J Immigr Minor Health. 2013 Oct;15(5):932-43 - PubMed
  13. Med Care. 2002 Jan;40(1):52-9 - PubMed
  14. J Behav Med. 1983 Sep;6(3):259-78 - PubMed
  15. J Health Soc Behav. 1988 Mar;29(1):79-91 - PubMed
  16. J Aging Health. 1993 May;5(2):179-93 - PubMed
  17. Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Jan 15;157(2):98-112 - PubMed
  18. Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Aug 1;164(3):257-62 - PubMed
  19. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015 May;23(5):1097-104 - PubMed
  20. Int J Health Serv. 1999;29(2):295-352 - PubMed
  21. Ethn Dis. 1996 Winter-Spring;6(1-2):132-47 - PubMed
  22. Am J Public Health. 2006 Jul;96(7):1265-70 - PubMed
  23. J Youth Adolesc. 2009 Feb;38(2):153-63 - PubMed
  24. Epidemiology. 1999 Jan;10(1):37-48 - PubMed
  25. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 May;84(5):1079-92 - PubMed
  26. Ethn Health. 2013;18(3):244-61 - PubMed
  27. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Jun;105(6):1442-50 - PubMed
  28. Biol Psychol. 2001 Jul-Aug;57(1-3):141-52 - PubMed
  29. Ethn Dis. 2012 Autumn;22(4):497-503 - PubMed
  30. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003 Feb;51(2):169-77 - PubMed
  31. J Black Psychol. 2016 Jun;42(3):221-243 - PubMed
  32. Am J Public Health. 2005 Aug;95(8):1403-9 - PubMed
  33. J Health Psychol. 1997 Jul;2(3):335-51 - PubMed
  34. Health Psychol. 2014 Jan;33(1):20-34 - PubMed
  35. Am Psychol. 1999 Oct;54(10):805-16 - PubMed
  36. Women Health. 2016;56(2):177-93 - PubMed
  37. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2014 Sep;68(9):842-8 - PubMed
  38. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999;896:173-88 - PubMed
  39. Ethn Dis. 1996 Winter-Spring;6(1-2):167-75 - PubMed
  40. J Youth Adolesc. 2016 Mar;45(3):457-70 - PubMed
  41. Annu Rev Sociol. 2008 Jan 1;34:181-209 - PubMed
  42. J Occup Health Psychol. 1996 Jul;1(3):319-29 - PubMed
  43. Health Aff (Millwood). 2002 Mar-Apr;21(2):60-76 - PubMed
  44. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e40793 - PubMed
  45. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2001 Apr;11(2):240-9 - PubMed
  46. JAMA. 1992 Mar 4;267(9):1244-52 - PubMed
  47. J Health Soc Behav. 2003 Sep;44(3):318-31 - PubMed
  48. Ann Epidemiol. 2014 Nov;24(11):822-30 - PubMed
  49. J Health Soc Behav. 2003 Sep;44(3):408-25 - PubMed
  50. Am J Public Health. 2000 Aug;90(8):1212-5 - PubMed
  51. Neuroscience. 2004;128(4):667-73 - PubMed
  52. Am J Prev Med. 1994 Mar-Apr;10(2):77-84 - PubMed
  53. Brain Behav Immun. 2010 Mar;24(3):438-43 - PubMed
  54. Anxiety Stress Coping. 2016 Nov;29(6):699-707 - PubMed
  55. Ann Epidemiol. 2016 Jul;26(7):461-466 - PubMed
  56. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2006 May;60(5):436-41 - PubMed
  57. Ethn Health. 2000 Aug-Nov;5(3-4):243-68 - PubMed
  58. J Health Soc Behav. 2000 Sep;41(3):295-313 - PubMed

MeSH terms

Publication Types

Grant support