Neighborhoods and mental health: Exploring ethnic density, poverty, and social cohesion among Asian Americans and Latinos

This study examines the associations of neighborhood ethnic density and poverty with social cohesion and self-rated mental health among Asian Americans and Latinos. Path analysis is employed to analyze data from the 2002–2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) and the 2000 U.S. Census...

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Veröffentlicht in:Social science & medicine (1982) 2014-06, Vol.111, p.117-124
Hauptverfasser: Hong, Seunghye, Zhang, Wei, Walton, Emily
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:This study examines the associations of neighborhood ethnic density and poverty with social cohesion and self-rated mental health among Asian Americans and Latinos. Path analysis is employed to analyze data from the 2002–2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) and the 2000 U.S. Census (N = 2095 Asian Americans living in N = 259 neighborhoods; N = 2554 Latinos living in N = 317 neighborhoods). Findings reveal that neighborhood ethnic density relates to poor mental health in both groups. Social cohesion partially mediates that structural relationship, but is positively related to ethnic density among Latinos and negatively related to ethnic density among Asian Americans. Although higher neighborhood poverty is negatively associated with mental health for both groups, the relationship does not hold in the path models after accounting for social cohesion and covariates. Furthermore, social cohesion fully mediates the association between neighborhood poverty and mental health among Latinos. This study highlights the necessity of reconceptualizing existing theories of social relationships to reflect complex and nuanced mechanisms linking neighborhood structure and mental health for diverse racial and ethnic groups. •Neighborhood ethnic density is negatively associated with mental health.•Social cohesion partially mediates ethnic density and mental health associations.•Ethnic density, social cohesion, and mental health path is negative among Asians.•Ethnic density, social cohesion, and mental health path is positive among Latinos.•Social cohesion fully mediates poverty and mental health associations among Latinos.
ISSN:0277-9536
1873-5347
DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.04.014