Psychological distress in middle eastern immigrants to the United States: A challenge to the healthy migrant model?. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bulut, Elif; Brewster, Karin L.
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 274(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Healthy migrant model -- Kessler-6 index of psychological distress -- Middle eastern immigrants -- Middle eastern women; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113765
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: Rationale and objective: Research has documented a robust mental health advantage among Asian and Latino immigrants to the United States relative to the native-born. The current investigation extended this line of research, asking whether Middle Eastern immigrants to the United States enjoy a similar mental health advantage. Methods: Drawing on pooled cross-sections from the 2007–2018 National Health Interview Surveys, we used OLS regression to examine psychological distress in Middle Eastern immigrants relative to both native-born Whites and immigrants from other global regions. We used statistical interactions to assess whether gender and period differences are contingent on region of birth. Results: Findings reveal that the average level of psychological distress is higher among Middle Eastern immigrants than among both U.S.-born Whites and immigrants from other regions. Despite changing circumstances of migration for Middle Easterners and implementation in the United States of anti-immigrant policies, we see no evidence that distress increased more among immigrants compared to native-born Whites. Results point to greater psychological distress among Middle Eastern women than their native-born White counterparts and women from other immigrant groups, as well as Middle Eastern men. In contrast, psychological distress levels for Middle Eastern and native-born White men were indistinguishable, suggesting that the Middle Eastern mental health disadvantage in the United States is borne solely by women. Conclusions: Results show that the mental health advantage enjoyed by some immigrant groups does not extend to Middle Eastern women, contradicting the healthy migrant model and challenging the assumption of a uniform mental health advantage across immigrant groups. Highlights: Middle Easterners do not generally share the mental health advantage immigrants enjoy. Middle Eastern mental health disadvantage is borne solely by Middle Eastern women. Findings pose a challenge to the healthy migrant model.