IMMIGRATION AND MENTAL HEALTH

Immigrants in general appear to have lower rates of mental disorders than their US-born counterparts (Table). In the first study of its kind, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the affects of immigration and years of residence in the United States on the mental health of Caribbean black, Latino, and Asian populations were examined. Researchers also found differences within population groups that were related to subgroup categories such as ethnicity, gender, English language proficiency, years of US residence, and age at immigration.

(Source: National Institute of Mental Health Web site. Science update: US-born children of immigrants may have higher risk for mental disorders than parents. January 17, 2007. Available at: http://www.nimh/nih/gov/press/immigrant_ mentalhealth.cfm. Accessed May 10, 2007.