ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Ethnic inequalities in health in Western societies are well-documented but poorly understood. We examined associations between health locus of control (HLC) and depressive symptoms among native and non-native Dutch people in the Netherlands. METHODS: We used hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses on a representative sample of the multi-ethnic population of Amsterdam and The Hague (n = 10,302). HLC was measured with the multidimensional health locus of control scale. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Kessler Psychological Distress scale. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that HLC contributes to ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Respondents who scored high on external locus of control (PHLC) were more likely to have depressive symptoms than those with a low score on PHLC (ß = 0.133, p < 0.001). Conversely, respondents scoring high on internal locus of control (IHLC) were less likely to have depressive symptoms compared to those scoring low on IHLC (ß = -0.134, p < 0.001). The associations were most pronounced among Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch respondents. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that HLC contributes to ethnic inequalities in depressive symptoms, especially among Turkish and Moroccan ethnic groups. Professionals (e.g. clinicians and policy makers) need to take HLC into account when assessing and treating depression among ethnic minority groups, particularly in Turkish and Moroccan populations. Future research should look further into the associations within these groups.
Subject(s)
Depression/ethnology , Depressive Disorder/ethnology , Ethnicity/psychology , Internal-External Control , Population Groups/statistics & numerical data , Transients and Migrants/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Depression/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Ethnicity/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Morocco/ethnology , Multivariate Analysis , Netherlands/epidemiology , Prevalence , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Regression Analysis , Risk Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Suriname/ethnology , Transients and Migrants/statistics & numerical data , Turkey/ethnologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study examines the associations between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch adolescents and young adults living in the Netherlands. METHODS: We analysed cross-sectional data from a sample of 199 Turkish-Dutch and 153 Moroccan-Dutch respondents, aged 15-24 years, using multiple logistic regression analyses. Discrimination was measured on group level and personal level. Depression was measured by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). RESULTS: Respondents that experienced perceived discrimination on a personal level were more likely than those that experienced no perceived discrimination to have depression (OR = 3.21, 95% CI = 1.59-6.47). This association was larger for the Moroccan-Dutch (OR = 5.32, 95% CI = 1.75-16.16) compared with the Turkish-Dutch (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.03-7.40). Analysis of separate group level discrimination items, measuring different domains, revealed an association between discrimination on school and depression for the Moroccan-Dutch (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.16-6.78). CONCLUSION: Personal level perceived discrimination is associated with depressive symptoms among young minority group members with a Turkish or Moroccan cultural background. This indicates that discrimination is an important factor that should be taken into account in developing public health policies.
