Social Determinants of Mental Health Problems Among Lower-Wage Chinese Immigrants

Details

• Personal Author:
  Thompson EA ; Tsai JH-C
• Description:
  Background: The social conditions in which individuals work and live critically shape life experiences, resource access, and ultimately health. Food service continues to be an important entry point to the US labor force for Chinese immigrants. For this economically vulnerable, low resource workforce, mental health concerns rank highly. Knowledge deficits about work-related and daily life social conditions on mental health limit capacity to address related health disparities. Purpose: To examine the combined influences of social determinants (social discrimination, job concerns, social support) on Chinese immigrant mental health. Methods: Participants included Chinese immigrants in food service occupations, who completed a comprehensive, in-person interview, using Likert-type response options for which higher scores indicated higher construct values. Following descriptive analysis, hierarchical multiple regression models were tested. Results: Analysis revealed (n=60) on average participants had lived in the US 10.4 years (SD=9.6); 55% understood some spoken English; and 47% were female. Controlling for demographics and relevant covariates (e.g. gender, education, citizenship, insurance, health), social discrimination and job concerns predicted mental health problems (=.30; =.38, p<.05; R2adj=.37). Focused analyses revealed that overt discriminatory actions (=.50) and interpersonal work problems (=.23) were primary sources of these effects (R2adj=.50, p<.01); importantly social support interacted with discrimination and job concerns to moderate mental health problems. Discussion: Exposure to discrimination and difficult work relations contribute to mental health problems, but are moderated by available social support. These findings uncover focal points for mental health promotion among Chinese immigrants, and point to new avenues for addressing health disparities. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Emigration And Immigration Food Handling Food Industry Healthcare Disparities Mental Health Minority Health Nervous System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Mental Health Discrimination Food Services Health Disparities Immigrants Immigrant Workers Mental Health Minority Health Psychosocial Factors
• Publisher:
  American Public Health Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 3 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060655
• Citation:
  APHA 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 29 - November 2, 2011, Washington, D.C. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 2011 Nov; :247347
• Contact Point Address:
  Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai, PhD, ARNP, PMHCNS-BC, University of Washington, Department of Psychosocial & Community Health, School of Nursing, Box 357263, Seattle, WA, USA 98195-7263
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20080501
• Source Full Name:
  APHA 139th Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 29 - November 2, 2011, Washington, D.C.
• End Date:
  20120430
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5f6c28622d1ae60efc9eacc7fbdac32c6f6146795a87e8bab46c40aab22dcc3fbe2f47648bd18e3ae83f9ba934f549a4a9831506f1ab0fa4f789714fb081fe81
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224502/cdc_224502_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 145.52 KB ]