Patterns of Depression among Elderly Asian Immigrants to the United States Over the Past Decade

Abstract

Immigrants in the United States often face increased stressors associated with the transitions from an established home to a new environment. Factors such as cultural displacement, language barriers, economic and employment concerns, immigration status and safe housing can all contribute to fears that can manifest themselves in depression or anxiety. These risks can be further intensified when the individual is elderly, and their health, socioeconomic status and social support networks within the United States are weakened. This paper will use eleven years of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to examine patterns of social anxiety among the elderly Asian population. The paper will compare immigrant elders to native-born Asian elders and control for citizen status, sociodemographic characteristics, health factors and household composition to isolate the impacts of immigration on mental health outcomes.