Unemployment and mental health among Hispanics in the US: an epidemiological analysis

The high unemployment rates observed in the United States during the recent economic crisis, that moreover vary between ethnic groups, make it relevant to inquire into how this problem is linked to the mental health of employed and unemployed persons. Therefore, in this paper the relationship betwee...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ciência & saude coletiva 2016-03, Vol.21 (3), p.955-966
Main Authors: Caicedo, Maritza, van Gameren, Edwin
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Subjects:
Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology
Epidemiology
European Continental Ancestry Group
Hispanic Americans
Humans
Mental Health
Mexico - ethnology
Prevalence
Unemployment
Unemployment - psychology
United States
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The high unemployment rates observed in the United States during the recent economic crisis, that moreover vary between ethnic groups, make it relevant to inquire into how this problem is linked to the mental health of employed and unemployed persons. Therefore, in this paper the relationship between unemployment and mental health among Mexican immigrants, Mexicans born in the US, and other Hispanics in comparison with non-Hispanic native whites and Afro-Americans in the US is analyzed. To achieve this objective prevalence, prevalence ratios and odds ratios for the population between 18 and 65 years of age in the labor force was calculated using data from the 1999 and 2009 National Health Interview Surveys. It was seen that in times of crisis the prevalence of Non-Specific Psychological Disorders (NSPD) in the labor force increased in all ethnic groups. The prevalence ratios indicate that the unemployed face a higher risk of suffering from NSPD than the employed, especially for the non-Mexican Hispanics. Mexican immigrants, in contrast, show the lowest risks.
ISSN:1413-8123
1678-4561
DOI:10.1590/1413-81232015213.16592014