The mental well-being of Central American transmigrant men in Mexico

ABSTRACT

To understand the mental health status of Central American migrant men travelling through Mexico to the U.S., we analysed the association between migration-related circumstances/stressors and psychological disorders. In-person interviews and a psychiatric assessment were conducted in 2010 and 2014 with 360 primarily Honduran transmigrant young adult males. The interviews were conducted at three Casas del Migrante (or migrant safe houses) in the migration-corridor cities of Monterrey, and Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon; and Saltillo, Coahuila. The results indicated high levels of migration-related stressors including abuse and a high prevalence of major depressive episodes (MDEs), alcohol dependency, and alcohol abuse. Nested logistic regression models were used to separately predict MDEs, alcohol dependency, and alcohol abuse, assessing their association with migration experiences and socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression models showed that characteristics surrounding migration (experiencing abuse, migration duration, and attempts) are predictive of depression. Alcohol dependency and abuse were both associated with marital status and having family/friends in the intended U.S. destination, while the number of migration attempts also predicted alcohol dependency. The results provide needed information on the association between transit migration through Mexico to the U.S. among unauthorised Central American men and major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse and dependency.

KEYWORDS:

• Transmigrants
• Central Americans
• psychiatric disorders
• depression
• alcohol addiction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding information

The research was supported by The Puentes Consortium at Rice University. We are grateful for their support.

Notes

1. The data collection began in 2010, and then resumed in 2014 in order to increase the sample size to permit a multivariate analysis of how risk and protective factors relate to mental health problems among transmigrant men.

2. While migration rates have historically been higher among Central American men, it is also the case that many Casas de Migrante only serve men. While two of the three locations surveyed for this study did admit women (and children), they were still fewer in number than the men (i.e. our sample was <9% female).

3. Respondents also were asked whether spirituality/God were motivating factors for continuing their journey. Nearly, all men in our sample (93%) responded yes to this question so it is excluded from our models due to the lack of variation in responses.

4. Men from Honduras or El Salvador were the most likely to have experienced a traumatic event in their country of origin. Of those who experienced this type of trauma, 42% were from Honduras and another 42% from El Salvador; Guatemala and the other Latin American countries account for the remainder.

5. Despite the relatively high prevalence of current panic disorder in this sample, bivariate analyses indicated limited variation in the independent variables with current panic disorder. Sensitivity analyses using logistic regression models to predict current panic produced larger than expected standard errors and odds ratios, so we do not present multivariate results predicting this condition.

6. Note that the two clinical diagnoses for alcohol addiction (i.e. alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse) do not overlap in our sample. The MINI is designed to distinguish between these conditions, so a respondent can be classified as being either dependent on or abusing alcohol, but not both.