Examining Mental Health Status and Mental Health Service Utilization by Visible Minority Immigrants in Canada: Adopting a Social Determinants of Health and Intersectionality Approach
Creators: name: Ip, Conita Kit Ching
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Social Work
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Immigrants
subject: Mental Health
subject: Social Determinants of Health
subject: Intersectionality
subject: Visible Minority
subject: Mental Health Service Utilization

description: The number of visible minority immigrants to Canada is increasing rapidly. However, studies on mental health experiences associated with migration-related challenges are limited. Drawing on social determinants of health and intersectionality frameworks, this study investigated the relationship between social contextual factors and mental health outcomes (self-perceived mental health and life stress, and diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders) and mental health service utilization among visible minority immigrant adults in Canada. Data were drawn from the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Survey, which provided a sample of 5,870 visible minority immigrant adults aged 18 to 64 from 13 Canadian provinces and territories and a comparison group of 68,932 Canadian-born white adults. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between socio-demographic factors and mental health outcomes and service use. Analysis results revealed no significant differences in self-perceived mental health between visible minority immigrant and Canadian-born white adults. Within-group multivariate logistic regression modeling revealed that male gender, employed status, mid- or high-range household income, and strong sense of community belonging were recurring protective factors against poor mental health, while longer-term immigrant status was a recurring risk factor for visible minority immigrants. Analysis of interactions between correlates revealed that when compared to all other intersecting immigrant and Canadian-born social identities, middle-aged visible minority immigrant adults and visible minority immigrant adults with a mid-range household income were the combined social identities associated with poor perceived mental health, high perceived life stress, and diagnosed mood disorders. Visible minority immigrants with poor perceived mental health and high perceived life stress were less likely than Canadian-born adults to report using mental health services, but those with diagnosed mood or anxiety disorders were as likely as Canadian-born adults to have used services. Despite some limitations, this study contributes to the current body of literature on ethno-cultural immigrant mental health by examining multiple mental health outcomes and help-seeking patterns using a social determinant of health perspective in the context of intersectionality, examining the combined effects of multiple social identities. The study results also challenge conventional assumptions about the “healthy immigrant effect” and “transitional effect” in visible minority immigrant’s mental health, contributing to a more complex understanding of this important issue.