Study Examines Depression Among Arab, Chaldean, African Immigrants in Detroit
"Factors Associated With Self-Reported Depression in Arab-, Chaldean-, and African-Americans" (.pdf), Ethnicity & Disease: Researchers led by Hikmet Jamil of Wayne State University and colleagues surveyed 3,543 adults of Arab, Chaldean and African backgrounds living in Detroit, seeking to determine ethnicity-specific prevalence of self-reported depression. Researchers also examined the risk factors associated with self-reported depression. Overall, 18.2% of participants reported being depressed, with the highest rate among Arab-Americans at 23.2%, followed by African-Americans at 15% and Chaldean-Americans at 13.3%. Having school-aged children and being unemployed, disabled or in poor health were all factors associated with depression. Depression prevalence also varied significantly by country of origin, according to the study. Researchers note, "Our results show the need to provide culturally competent mental health services for Arab-Americans and other minority American subgroups," adding that further research is "needed to identify risk factors, preferably modifiable factors, and to ascertain which factors are similar and non-similar to the general American population" (Jamil et al., Ethnicity & Disease, Autumn 2008).
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