Health Disparities
Sex Differences in Psychological Distress and its Risk Factors Among U.S. Adult Immigrants, 2005-2018 Maryam Elhabashy* Maryam Elhabashy David Adzrago Faustine Williams
Introduction. Psychological distress, an array of non-specific symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, is a mental health condition associated with increased likelihoods of adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Limited research explores sex differences in psychological distress and its risk factors across minority communities, especially immigrant population. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress and its sociodemographic and behavioral health risk factors among male and female immigrants. Methods. Drawing from the 2005-2018 National Health Interview Surveys (NHISs) data, this study analyzed a sample of male (n=21,082) and female (n=24,984) adult immigrants using weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results. Psychological distress was more prevalent among females (22.68%) compared to males (15.58%). Among the demographic factors, older age (i.e., ≥65 vs. 18-25 years) was a significant protective factor for males than for females. Males aged 55-64 also had significantly low odds of experiencing psychological distress; no significant difference was observed among females. Being overweight was a significant protective factor for males, while being overweight or obese was a significant risk for females. For the behavioral factors, alcohol drinking and smoking were significant risk factors among males and females, with males with current or former alcohol drinking status having greater risks while females with current or former smoking status had greater risks. Regarding chronic disease, males exhibited more significant risks with 1-2 chronic diseases, while females had more significant risks with ≥3 chronic diseases. Conclusions. This study shows that prevalence and risk factors of psychological distress differ across male and female immigrants. Therefore, more sex-specific considerations should be addressed in mental health research and interventions to address the needs of male and female immigrants.