Structural
The direct and indirect association between residential Latinx-White segregation and depressive symptoms through neighborhood features in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Sarah Valentina Diaz* Sarah Diaz Diaz University of Minnesota
Background: Extensive research documents the negative health effects of residential racial segregation among African Americans. However, the impacts of residential segregation on mental health of Latinxs, and pathways, are understudied. Given the demographic growth of Latinxs, the persistence of residential segregation, and that mental health is a leading disabling disorder worldwide, understanding residential segregation effects on mental health of Latinxs is important for population health.
Methods: The Latinx sample from the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n=796) and inverse odds ratio weighting were used to model the associations and mediators between residential Latinx-White segregation (continuous) and depressive symptoms(continuous), through mechanisms including neighborhood social cohesion (NSC) and, separately, neighborhood problems (NP) at the individual and neighborhood level. Final models were adjusted for age, gender, gross household income, nativity status, country of heritage, and neighborhood-level socio-economic disadvantage. Data from two timepoints were used: 2004-2005 and 2010-2012.
Results: We found a statistically significant direct and indirect association between residential segregation and depressive symptoms through NP at the neighborhood level, but no significant associations through NSC. For example, residential segregation at one standard deviation above the mean was indirectly associated with a 0.37 (95%CI = 0.04, 0.68) increase in depressive symptoms among MESA Latinxs through NP.
Conclusion: Residential segregation and neighborhood problems are important for depressive symptoms, but social cohesion is not, highlighting variability in which factors are important for Latinx health.