Depressive symptoms and their correlates among immigrant Mexican women in the United States

Abstract

Correlates of depressive symptomatology and caseness are examined for a survey sample of N = 1825 poor Mexican immigrant women in San Diego County, California. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression (CES--D) checklist is tested against a variety of demographic variables as well as health status and service utilization rates. Statistically significant associations were found between CES--D and education, years in the United States, income, marital status and number of adults in household. Also significant were associations with health status, confidant support and recent, traumatic life event. Utilization rates point to medical doctors as the major source of formal treatment and a heavy reliance on family and friends. The implications of the high disorder rates for diagnosis and treatment among immigrants are discussed.