Citation

Pinedo M, Escobar C. Am. J. Public Health 2024; 114(S6): S495-S504.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2024.307660

PMID

39083744

Abstract

OBJECTIVEs. To examine how having a parent deported in childhood and immigration enforcement encounters relate to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a sample of US-born Latinos.

METHODS. In 2021, a national sample of 1784 US-born Latinos was recruited to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire elicited data on sociodemographics, mental health, and immigration-related experiences. The dependent variable was past-year symptoms of PTSD. Immigration-related variables included (1) having a parent deported during their childhood, (2) having a (nonparent) family member deported, (3) fear of having a parent or loved one deported, (4) fear of immigration enforcement encounters, and (5) having experienced an immigration raid. A multivariable logistic regression was conducted to examine independent associations between immigration-related variables and PTSD.

RESULTS. Having a parent deported during childhood was associated with more than twice the odds of meeting criteria for PTSD symptoms. Having a loved one deported, fearing the deportation of a loved one, and having experienced an immigration raid were all associated with PTSD.

CONCLUSIONS. It is imperative to better understand the long-term implications of immigration policies in perpetuating health inequities among US-born Latinos. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S6):S495-S504. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307660) [Formula: see text].

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; United States; Adult; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Adolescent; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; *Hispanic or Latino/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Parents/psychology; *Emigration and Immigration/legislation & jurisprudence/statistics & numerical data; *Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/ethnology/psychology; Deportation; Emigrants and Immigrants/psychology/statistics & numerical data