Is the Hispanic Health Paradox Present in Canada: Examining Mood Disorders Among Hispanics

The Hispanic Health Paradox (HHP) challenges the fundamental assumption that lower socioeconomic conditions lead to poorer health outcomes. The literature has documented this paradox in health and mortality among Hispanics in the United States (US), but little is known about its applicability to mental health, particularly in Canada. This study examines the relationship between Hispanic ethnicity and mood disorders using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) to assess disparities in self-reported mood disorders among Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), and other racialized groups, while interaction analyses explored moderating effects of age, education, and immigration status. Hispanics in Canada exhibited similar odds of reporting a mood disorder compared to NHW, despite lower SES. Other racialized groups, however, reported significantly lower odds of mood disorders, suggesting additional protective factors beyond SES. Important moderating effects were also found indicating that paradoxical protections of Hispanic ethnicity vary by age, educational attainment, and immigration status. Findings of this study highlight the complexity of the HHP as well as the need to examine factors beyond SES among diverse Hispanics.