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Does the healthy immigrant effect extend to anxiety disorders? Evidence from a nationally representative study
Mary Aglipay1, Ian Colman, Yue Chen
1Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Room 3105, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada. magli093@uottawa.ca
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
|July 17, 2012
Summary
Recent immigrants show significantly lower odds of anxiety disorders compared to Canadian-born individuals. This suggests a "healthy immigrant effect" on mental health, particularly anxiety, in working-age adults.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
Background:
- The healthy immigrant effect, a phenomenon where immigrants exhibit better health outcomes than native-born populations, is not well-established for anxiety disorders.
- Understanding immigrant mental health is crucial for public health initiatives and targeted support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between immigrant status and the prevalence of anxiety disorders in a large, nationally representative Canadian sample.
- To determine if the healthy immigrant effect is applicable to anxiety disorders among working-age adults.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 116,796 adults from the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey.
- Logistic regression models were employed to assess the odds of anxiety disorders, controlling for potential confounders.
- Comparison of anxiety disorder rates between Canadian-born individuals and recent immigrants, as well as those who immigrated 10+ years ago.
Main Results:
- Recent immigrants (arrived <10 years ago) had significantly reduced odds of anxiety disorders across working age groups (18-39 and 40-59 years).
- Immigrants who arrived 10 or more years ago also showed reduced odds of anxiety disorders, though to a lesser extent than recent immigrants.
- The findings indicate a protective effect of immigrant status against anxiety disorders in working-age Canadians.
Conclusions:
- A healthy immigrant effect is evident for anxiety disorders among working-age Canadians.
- Immigration status is associated with lower odds of anxiety disorders, highlighting the importance of considering immigrant health in mental health research and policy.
- Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying this protective effect.
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