Older Latino Mental Health: A Complicated Picture

Abstract

The aggregation of Latino subgroups in national studies creates an overly simplistic narrative that Latinos are at lower risk of mental illness and that foreign nativity seems protective against mental illness (i.e. immigrant paradox). This broad generalization does not hold up as the Latino population ages. Given that social inequalities for risk appear to widen with age, the social disadvantages of being Latino in the US increase the risk for mental illness across the lifespan. This review focuses on the mental health of older Latinos, specifically the three subgroups with the longest residential history in the United States – Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. We examine relevant epidemiological and clinical psychopathology studies on aging in these Latino populations and present evidence of the heterogeneity of the older Latino population living in the United States, thus illustrating a limitation in this field – combining Latino subgroups despite their diversity because of small sample sizes. We address the migration experience – how intra-ethnic differences and age of migration impact mental health – and discuss social support and discrimination as key risk and protective factors. We conclude with a discussion on meeting the mental health needs of older Latinos with a focus on prevention, a promising approach to addressing mental illness in older Latinos, and future directions for mental health research in this population. Success in this endeavor would yield substantial reduction in the burden of late-life depression and anxiety and a positive public health impact.

Particulate Matter Exposure across Latino Ethnicities

“…Overall, Cuban Americans typically have higher economic, social, and political power than other Latino subgroups [ 33 ] and higher levels of neighborhood social capital [ 34 ]. A study of over 15,000 immigrants found that Cubans have the lowest self-reported depression amongst all the Latino ethnic groups [ 35 ], supporting prior work with similar findings [ 36 ].…”

Latinxs with HIV: Depressive Cognitive Alterations as a Precursor to Cardio-Motor Deficits

“…However, Jimenez et al, [54] noted that older Latinxs are more reluctant in seeking help for their depression than younger Latinxs and other ethnic groups due to enhanced negative attitudes and stigma attached to disclosing their depression, along with the lack of proper education on mental health, depression symptomatology, and apprehension of provider discrimination [45]. Therefore, the rates of depression in our older HIV-infected subjects in Puerto Rico might be higher in reality than what was reported as a result of the factors above, especially when considering the overall prevalence of depression in HIV-infected individuals [25], as well as the older Latinx population independent of HIV [54]. The main concerns practitioners have for older Latinxs who are depressed, both with and without HIV, are the somatization of symptoms, psychosocial and problem-solving modalities, quality of life, suicidality, and cognitive impairments, as these are often exacerbated in individuals from this population [45,52].…”

“…Furthermore, intra-ethnic subgrouping is necessary to distinguish those in the Latinx population who are at even higher risk, such as Puerto Ricans. Adults from Puerto Rico, who are over the age of 55, have a 19.3% lifetime prevalence of major depression, and 27.9% of Puerto Ricans over the age of 65 have high depressive symptomatology, both of which are colossally greater than other Latinx and non-Hispanic populations [54].…”

Race and Mental Health Among Older Adults: Within- and Between-Group Comparisons

“…Prominent among them is a focus on within-group variability as it pertains to pan-ethnic categories. Notably, the articles by Taylor and Chatters (2020) on older Black Americans, Kim and colleagues (2020) on Asian American older adults, and Jimenez and colleagues (2020) on older Latinos provide extensive reviews of current research on the mental health of older adults with a focus on both between-group as well as within racial/ethnic group differences. In addition, the articles by Lincoln (2020) on obesity and mental health and by Nguyen (2020) on religion and mental health are in-depth reviews on these topics.…”

“… Jimenez and colleagues (2020) address two common assumptions concerning mental health of older Latinos. As is the case with other racial/ethnic groups, pan-ethnic categorizations fail to account for within-group diversity (racial, ethnic, and cultural), resulting in simplistic and inaccurate portrayals of older Latinos overall.…”