A comparison of socioeconomic status and mental health among inner-city Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women

Figures & data

Table 1. Selected demographics stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
Age (± SEM)	39.9 ± 2.05	37.7 ± 1.46
Marital status
Single	51%	42%
Married/common-law	5%	3%
Separated/divorced	31%	37%
Widowed	2%	1%
Lived with (past 3 years)
Partner/family	39.3%	56.6%
Friends	5.6%	4.8%
Alone	34.8%	20.5%
Nothing stable	18%	14.5%
Number of children	1.2	2.7
Number of dependents (± SEM)	0.3 ± 0.07	0.7 ± 0.2
Number family members in Montreal (± SEM) *	3.5 ± 0.56	1.8 ± 0.25
Number years lived in Montreal (±SEM) *	24.6 ± 1.9	7.1 ± 1.4
Living in a shelter	66.3%	78.3%
Why in shelter?
Temporary housing	38.6%	48.8%
Fleeing abusive relationship	18.2%	19.5%
Counselling/support/other	9.1%	9.8%

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SD.

* Significant differences between groups p < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

Table 2. Indicators of socioeconomic status stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
Number years of education (± SEM) *	11.8 ± 0.4	10.3 ± 0.3
Employment pattern (past 3 years)
Employed	30.3%	35.4%
Unemployed or student/retired	69.7%	64.6%
Currently on welfare	69.7%	61.0%
Monthly income (± SEM)	$618.10 ± 34.93	$573.57 ± 45.33
Mean ASI Employment Composite Severity Score (± SEM)†	0.9 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.2

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SEM.

* Significant differences between groups p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

†ASI – Addiction Severity Index composite scores range from 0 to 1.0, with higher scores indicating greater problem severity.

Table 3. Trauma and adverse life events stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
Childhood
Had sex with an adult before 14*	34.1%	53.4%
Had a teen pregnancy (<18 years of age)*	30.6%	51.3%
Ever witnessed the sexual abuse of another family member*	15.7%	33.3%
Ever witnessed the physical abuse of another family member	64.3%	64.0%
CATS sexual abuse severity score (± SEM)*	5.17 ± 0.5	7.03 ± 0.8
Lifetime
One or both parents ever had a drug/alcohol problem *	56.5%	79.2%
One or both parents ever had a psychological problem *	63.5%	47.3%
Victim of violence or crime in the past year*	35.6%	50.6%
Emotional abuse	85.1%	82.9%
Sexual abuse	69.0%	74.4%
Physical abuse*	76.7%	91.5%

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SEM.

*** sample for this comparison consisted of women who had a pregnancy lifetime, n=63.

*Significant differences between groups p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

Table 4. Physical health stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
In the past year experienced
Pain in legs, arms, stomach	70.8%	62.2%
Chest pains	34.8%	40.2%
Fatigue*	83.1%	65.9%
Insomnia	68.5%	61.7%
Has a chronic medical problem	58.4%	52.4%
Sought help for medical problems in the past year	67.1%	74.4%
# Days medical problems in past 30 (± SEM)	18.0 ± 1.4	15.1 ± 1.5
Mean ASI Medical Composite Severity Score (± SEM)†	0.6 ± 0.04	0.5 ± 0.04
# Times hospitalised in lifetime (± SEM)	4.8 ± 0.8	4.1 ± 0.5

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SEM.

* Significant differences between groups p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

†ASI – Addiction Severity Index composite scores range from 0 to 1.0, with higher scores indicating greater problem severity.

Table 5. Drug/alcohol use stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
Currently smokes cigarettes*	51.7%	81.7%
Current substance abuse problem	49.4%	57.8%
Number of days used in past 30 days (± SEM)
Alcohol (any use)	2.4 ± 0.6	4.4 ± 0.9
Cannabis*	1.1 ± 0.5	6.0 ± 1.2
Cocaine	1.1 ± 0.5	1.6 ± 0.7
Amount of money spent on alcohol (past 30 days) (± SEM)*	$25.63 ± $9.52	$114.10 ± $35.97
Amount of money spent on drugs (past 30 days) (± SEM)	$38.23 ± $16.72	$92.44 ± $30.21
Mean ASI Alcohol Composite Severity Score (± SEM)†	0.10 ± 0.02	0.17 ± 0.2
Mean ASI Drug Composite Severity Score (± SEM)†	0.06 ± 0.01	0.07 ± 0.01
Ever treated for drug/alcohol problem*	29.9%	48.1%

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SEM.

* Significant differences between groups p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

†ASI – Addiction Severity Index composite scores range from 0 to 1.0, with higher scores indicating greater problem severity, measured over the past 30 days

Table 6. Psychological distress stratified by ethnocultural background (n=172).

	Non-Aboriginal (n=89)	Aboriginal (n=83)
Experienced in past 30 days
Depression *	51.7%	31.7%
Anxiety	58.6%	43.9%
Prescribed psychiatric medication *	46.0%	20.7%
# Days experienced psychological problems in past month (± SEM)*	16.6 ± 1.4	9.3 ± 1.3
Mean Beck Depression Inventory score in past week (± SEM)	19.8 ± 1.5	17.5 ± 1.6
Mean ASI Psychological Composite Severity Score (± SEM)†*	0.39 ± 0.03	0.28 ± 0.03
Lifetime
Ever prescribed psychiatric medication *	66.7%	48.8%
Ever sought help for a psychological problem	75.9%	62.2%
Experienced in lifetime
Depression	75.9%	78.0%
Anxiety	77.0%	73.2%
Attempted suicide	50.6%	59.8%

Groups were compared using Student’s t-tests and Chi-square analysis. Values represent the group percentage, or mean ± SEM.

* Significant differences between groups p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons.

†ASI – Addiction Severity Index composite scores range from 0 to 1.0, with higher scores indicating greater problem severity, measured over the past 30 days.