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Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wu, B; Chi, I; Plassman, BL; Guo, M
Published in: Aging Ment Health
August 2010

OBJECTIVES: Researchers speculate that depression tends to be more prevalent among immigrant elders due to their lack of resources, acculturation stress, language problems, and social isolation. However, other characteristics of elderly immigrants, such as the healthy immigrant effect, may counteract these potential risk factors. This study examined whether depressive symptoms differed between Chinese immigrant elders and their counterparts in China and whether health conditions were similarly associated with depressive symptoms in these two samples. METHODS: Depression and health information was collected from 177 Chinese immigrant elders in Boston, the US in 2000 and from 428 education and gender-matched elders in Shanghai, China in 2003. RESULTS: Chinese immigrants had a significantly lower score on the modified Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and its subscales: somatic symptoms and depressive affect. The association remained for the subscale depressive affect in multivariate analyses. Arthritis and back or neck problems were associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms among Chinese immigrants, while problems in walking were associated with depression among their counterparts in China. Pain was an underlying contributor to the association between depression and these health problems in both the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that Chinese immigrant elders might be more resilient than their counterparts despite many challenges they face after moving abroad. With the growing number of older Chinese immigrants in the US, a better understanding of depressive symptoms is essential to provide culturally competent services to better serve this population.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Aging Ment Health

DOI

EISSN

1364-6915

Publication Date

August 2010

Volume

14

Issue

6

Start / End Page

695 / 704

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Video Recording
  • Mass Screening
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Depressive Disorder
  • China
  • Boston
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Aged
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wu, B., Chi, I., Plassman, B. L., & Guo, M. (2010). Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China. Aging Ment Health, 14(6), 695–704. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607860802427994
Wu, Bei, Iris Chi, Brenda L. Plassman, and Man Guo. “Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China.Aging Ment Health 14, no. 6 (August 2010): 695–704. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607860802427994.
Wu B, Chi I, Plassman BL, Guo M. Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China. Aging Ment Health. 2010 Aug;14(6):695–704.
Wu, Bei, et al. “Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China.Aging Ment Health, vol. 14, no. 6, Aug. 2010, pp. 695–704. Pubmed, doi:10.1080/13607860802427994.
Wu B, Chi I, Plassman BL, Guo M. Depressive symptoms and health problems among Chinese immigrant elders in the US and Chinese elders in China. Aging Ment Health. 2010 Aug;14(6):695–704.

Published In

Aging Ment Health

DOI

EISSN

1364-6915

Publication Date

August 2010

Volume

14

Issue

6

Start / End Page

695 / 704

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Video Recording
  • Mass Screening
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Depressive Disorder
  • China
  • Boston
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Aged