Huang Yuxia, Hu Zhiyong, Guerrero Ana, Brennan Emily, Gonzales Xavier F
Department of Computer Science, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA.
Department of Environmental Studies, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA.
Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Oct 14;12(20):2035. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12202035.
COVID-19 has a lasting impact on mental health, particularly within the Hispanic/Latinx communities. This paper empirically investigates the post-COVID-19 presence and severities of depression, one of the most common mental health disorders, among adults in a predominantly U.S.-born Hispanic/Latinx community in South Texas composed primarily of Mexican Americans.
Multiple statistic regression models were applied to data from 515 adults in Nueces County who completed all questions in a survey from convenience sampling between June 2022 and May 2023. Depression was assessed using both standard PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 measurements.
Of the 515 participants, 377 (64.5%) were Hispanic, and 441 (85.6%) had a high school education or higher, reflecting the county's demographics. About half of the participants (47%) reported mild/moderate to severe depression. The regression model estimation results reveal that female participants, those not in full-time employment, and individuals with disabilities were more likely to feel depressed after COVID-19. Middle-aged adults demonstrated greater resilience to depression compared to other age groups. Notably, non-Hispanic participants in the study reported higher levels of depression compared to their Hispanic counterparts. Additionally, COVID-19-related experiences, such as testing positive for the virus, being hospitalized, or having a history of depression before COVID-19, were associated with higher levels of reported depression.
COVID-19 has significantly impacted the mental health of this predominantly U.S.-born Hispanic/Latinx community. These findings can assist healthcare providers and policymakers in developing targeted strategies to tailor interventions aimed at enhancing mental health well-being, reducing disparities, and fostering overall improvement within the Hispanic/Latinx community.
新冠疫情对心理健康产生了持久影响，尤其是在西班牙裔/拉丁裔社区。本文实证研究了新冠疫情后，在得克萨斯州南部一个主要由墨西哥裔美国人组成、以美国本土出生的西班牙裔/拉丁裔为主的社区中，成年人中最常见的心理健康障碍之一——抑郁症的存在情况和严重程度。
对来自努埃塞斯县的515名成年人的数据应用了多个统计回归模型，这些成年人在2022年6月至2023年5月期间通过便利抽样完成了一项调查中的所有问题。使用标准的PHQ - 2和PHQ - 9测量方法评估抑郁症。
在515名参与者中，377名（64.5%）为西班牙裔，441名（85.6%）拥有高中或更高学历，这反映了该县的人口统计学特征。约一半的参与者（47%）报告有轻度/中度至重度抑郁症。回归模型估计结果显示，女性参与者、非全职就业者和残疾人士在新冠疫情后更有可能感到抑郁。与其他年龄组相比，中年成年人对抑郁症表现出更强的恢复力。值得注意的是，研究中的非西班牙裔参与者报告的抑郁水平高于其西班牙裔同行。此外，与新冠疫情相关的经历，如病毒检测呈阳性、住院或在新冠疫情前有抑郁症病史，与报告的较高抑郁水平相关。
新冠疫情对这个以美国本土出生的西班牙裔/拉丁裔为主的社区的心理健康产生了重大影响。这些发现可以帮助医疗保健提供者和政策制定者制定有针对性的策略，以调整干预措施，旨在改善西班牙裔/拉丁裔社区的心理健康状况、减少差距并促进整体改善。
