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Absence of protective ethnic density effect on Ecuadorian migrants’ mental health in a recent migration setting: a multilevel analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to study the association between the Ecuadorians’ ethnic density (EED) of the areas of residence (AR) with the mental health of Ecuadorians in Spain.

Methods

Multilevel study of 568 Ecuadorian adults in 33 AR randomly selected from civil registries and interviewed at home. Possible psychiatric case (PPC) was measured by scoring ≥5 in General Health Questionnaire-28. Ecuadorians’ ethnic density was dichotomized in high and low EED (<6 %). Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Prevalence of PPC, 24 % (95 %CI 20–28 %), varied by area of residence. Ecuadorians’ ethnic density varied by area of residence ranging from 0.9 to 19.5 %. PPC prevalence in High Ecuadorians’ ethnic density AR was 29.5 and 20.4 % in low EED AR (p 0.013). Ecuadorians from High EED AR had higher odds of PPC than those from Low EED AR (OR 1.65 95 %CI 1.01–2.72). Adjusting for individual confounders (largely self-perceived discrimination), OR decreased to 1.48 (95 %CI 0.87–2.55). The final model, adjusted by area of residence and educational level, yielded an OR 1.37 (95 %CI 0.78–2.40).

Conclusions

No protective association between the Ecuadorians’ ethnic density of the Area of residence and Ecuadorian migrants’ mental health was found. Mechanisms underlying beneficial ethnic density effects may be absent in recent migration settings.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Spanish Research Fund (FIS PI041026). DA was employed by CIBERSP (Ciber of Epidemiology and Public Health). IJ is employed with funds from RIS (Spanish HIV Research Network for excellence), RD06/006. None of the funding bodies played a part in the research protocol, data analyses, data interpretation, or writing of the report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center of Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029, Madrid, Spain

    Inma Jarrín, Débora Alvarez, Alicia Llácer & Julia Del Amo

  2. Ciber de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERSP), Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003, Barcelona, Spain

    Inma Jarrín, Ana García-Fulgueiras, Débora Alvarez, Rocío García-Pina, Visitación García-Ortúzar, Maria Ángeles Rodríguez-Arenas, Alicia Llácer & Julia Del Amo

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Regional Health Council, Ronda de Levante 11, 30008, Murcia, Spain

    Ana García-Fulgueiras, Rocío García-Pina & Visitación García-Ortúzar

  4. Mental Health Department, CPE “Bola Azul”, Carretera de Ronda 226, 04009, Almeria, Spain

    Vicente Ibáñez-Rojo & Domingo Díaz

  5. National School of Public Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Monforte de Lemos 5, 28029, Madrid, Spain

    Maria Ángeles Rodríguez-Arenas & Lucía Mazarrasa

  6. Mental Health Department, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Carretera Alcalá-Meco s/n. Alcalá de Henares, 28805, Madrid, Spain

    Alberto Fernández-Liria

  7. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Maria Victoria Zunzunegui

  8. Axe Santé mondiale, CRCHUM, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Maria Victoria Zunzunegui

Authors
  1. Inma Jarrín
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  2. Ana García-Fulgueiras
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  3. Vicente Ibáñez-Rojo
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  4. Débora Alvarez
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  5. Rocío García-Pina
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  6. Alberto Fernández-Liria
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  7. Visitación García-Ortúzar
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  8. Domingo Díaz
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  9. Maria Ángeles Rodríguez-Arenas
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  10. Lucía Mazarrasa
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  11. Maria Victoria Zunzunegui
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  12. Alicia Llácer
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  13. Julia Del Amo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Inma Jarrín.

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Jarrín, I., García-Fulgueiras, A., Ibáñez-Rojo, V. et al. Absence of protective ethnic density effect on Ecuadorian migrants’ mental health in a recent migration setting: a multilevel analysis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 48, 95–103 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0523-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0523-8

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