Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns
<strong>Introduction:</strong> Although income is among the major social determinants of mental health of middle-aged and older individuals, socially marginalized groups gain less health from their income and other socioeconomic status (SES) resources compared to socially privileged grou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Travel Medicine Center of Iran
2020-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_104528_082a221db2b387c7c9a1ab3ee465318d.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811328046491238400 |
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| author | Shervin Assari |
| author_facet | Shervin Assari |
| author_sort | Shervin Assari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <strong>Introduction:</strong> Although income is among the major social determinants of mental health of middle-aged and older individuals, socially marginalized groups gain less health from their income and other socioeconomic status (SES) resources compared to socially privileged groups. This pattern is called marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs). Most of the existing knowledge on MDRs, however, has been derived from studies that have defined marginalization based on race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. As a result, very limited information exists on whether similar MDRs can be observed for middle-aged and older immigrants or not. Building on the MDRs framework, this study compared a national sample of immigrants and non-immigrants for the effects of income on the mental well-being of middle-aged and older adults in the United States.<br /> <strong>Methods:</strong> This is a cross-sectional study. The 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) enrolled 14 149 middle-aged and older individuals who were either immigrants (n=1977; 14.0%) or non-immigrants (n=12 166; 86.0%). The independent variable (IV) was income that was treated as a continuous variable. The dependent variable was mental well-being, also treated as a continuous variable. Age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, marital status, employment, self-rated health, obesity, and region were confounders. Immigration (nativity status) was the moderator. Logistic regression was applied for data analysis.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> High income was associated with higher odds of good mental well-being in middle-aged and older adults. However, immigration showed a significant statistical interaction with income, which was suggestive of a smaller protective effect of high income on mental well-being for immigrant than non-immigrant middle-aged and older adults.<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> In line with MDRs, the association between income and mental well-being is weaker for immigrant than non-immigrant middle-aged and older adults. There is a need to help high income immigrants secure health outcomes similar to those of non-immigrants. Such changes may require bold and innovative economic, public, and social policies that help immigrants more effectively translate their income and socioeconomic resources into tangible outcomes such as mental well-being. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:19:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d68d66924efc4c3ba0908ef985947f96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2322-1100 2476-5759 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:19:22Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | International Travel Medicine Center of Iran |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d68d66924efc4c3ba0908ef985947f962022-12-22T02:41:45ZengInternational Travel Medicine Center of IranInternational Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health2322-11002476-57592020-03-0181374310.34172/ijtmgh.2020.06104528Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished ReturnsShervin Assari0Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, USA<strong>Introduction:</strong> Although income is among the major social determinants of mental health of middle-aged and older individuals, socially marginalized groups gain less health from their income and other socioeconomic status (SES) resources compared to socially privileged groups. This pattern is called marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs). Most of the existing knowledge on MDRs, however, has been derived from studies that have defined marginalization based on race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. As a result, very limited information exists on whether similar MDRs can be observed for middle-aged and older immigrants or not. Building on the MDRs framework, this study compared a national sample of immigrants and non-immigrants for the effects of income on the mental well-being of middle-aged and older adults in the United States.<br /> <strong>Methods:</strong> This is a cross-sectional study. The 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) enrolled 14 149 middle-aged and older individuals who were either immigrants (n=1977; 14.0%) or non-immigrants (n=12 166; 86.0%). The independent variable (IV) was income that was treated as a continuous variable. The dependent variable was mental well-being, also treated as a continuous variable. Age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, marital status, employment, self-rated health, obesity, and region were confounders. Immigration (nativity status) was the moderator. Logistic regression was applied for data analysis.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> High income was associated with higher odds of good mental well-being in middle-aged and older adults. However, immigration showed a significant statistical interaction with income, which was suggestive of a smaller protective effect of high income on mental well-being for immigrant than non-immigrant middle-aged and older adults.<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> In line with MDRs, the association between income and mental well-being is weaker for immigrant than non-immigrant middle-aged and older adults. There is a need to help high income immigrants secure health outcomes similar to those of non-immigrants. Such changes may require bold and innovative economic, public, and social policies that help immigrants more effectively translate their income and socioeconomic resources into tangible outcomes such as mental well-being.http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_104528_082a221db2b387c7c9a1ab3ee465318d.pdfpopulation groupsimmigrantssocioeconomic statusincomeelderlypsychological factors |
| spellingShingle | Shervin Assari Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health population groups immigrants socioeconomic status income elderly psychological factors |
| title | Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns |
| title_full | Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns |
| title_fullStr | Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns |
| title_short | Income and Mental Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Americans: Immigrants’ Diminished Returns |
| title_sort | income and mental well being of middle aged and older americans immigrants diminished returns |
| topic | population groups immigrants socioeconomic status income elderly psychological factors |
| url | http://www.ijtmgh.com/article_104528_082a221db2b387c7c9a1ab3ee465318d.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shervinassari incomeandmentalwellbeingofmiddleagedandolderamericansimmigrantsdiminishedreturns |