Looking Beyond Nativity: The Relation of Age of Immigration, Length of Residence, and Birth Cohorts to the Risk of Onset of Psychiatric Disorders for Latinos

Abstract

Past studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding risk of psychopathology for U.S. Latinos by nativity possibly due to differences across immigrants in their age of arrival to the United States, their length of residence in the United States, or birth-cohort differences. In this article, we seek to document the relation of age of arrival, time in the United States, and cohort effects on the risk of onset of psychiatric disorders using a nationally representative sample of 2,554 Latinos in the coterminous United States. We assessed risk of onset of psychiatric disorders using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (Kessler & Us-tun, 2004). Findings indicate that Latino immigrants have lower risks of onset for some psychiatric disorders in their country of origin, but once in the United States, Latino immigrants appear to experience similar risks of onset as U.S.-born Latinos of the same age. The longer Latino immigrants remain in their country of origin, the less cumulative risk of onset they experience, resulting in lower lifetime rates of disorders. These findings could potentially be due to variation in cultural and social norms and expectations across geographical contexts, differences in family structure and gender roles, as well as artifactual-level explanations.

Notes

^aAll data except sample size and means reported as percentages.

^bTest of difference among all immigrant subgroups. Test between immigrants age of arrival 7 to 17 and ≥ 18 years is significant at p = .01.

^cImmigrants only.

^dTest of difference among all immigrant subgroups. Test between immigrants age of arrival 7 to 17 and ≥ 18 years is significant at p < .001.

*p < .01.

**p < .001.

^aSample N and numbers of observed onsets are unweighted. Incidence rates are crude weighted estimates (not age adjusted).

^bOnsets that occurred in the same year as arrival in United States are included in before category.

^aNo substance use disorders onsets observed for female immigrants in the United States ≥ 5 years.

*p ≥.05.

**p ≥ .01.

***p ≥ .001.