Immigration and Lifetime Prevalence of DSM-IV Psychiatric Disorders Among Mexican Americans and Non-Hispanic Whites in the United States
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004;61:1226-1233



There exist no national prevalence data on specific DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric disorders among foreign-born and US-born Mexican Americans and non- Hispanic whites.

To present nationally representative data on the prevalence of DSM-IV lifetime psychiatric disorders among foreign-born and US-born Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites.

With few exceptions, foreign-born Mexican Americans and foreign-born non-Hispanic whites were at significantly lower risk (P
.05) of DSM-IV substance use and mood and anxiety disorders compared with their US-born counterparts. Although the risk of specific psychiatric
disorders was similar between foreign-born Mexican Americans and foreign-born non-Hispanic whites, US born Mexican Americans were at significantly lower risk (P
.05) of psychiatric morbidity than US-born non- Hispanic whites.

Data favoring foreign-born Mexican Americans with respect to mental health may extend to
foreign-born non-Hispanic whites. Future research among foreign-born and US-born Mexican Americans and the foreign-born and US-born of other origins anddescents is needed to understand what appears to be the protective effects of culture and the deleterious effects
of acculturation on psychiatric morbiity in the United States.

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