Mapping the U.S. Latinx Mental Health Landscape: Insights from Traditional, Secondary, New, and Peripheral Immigrant Destinations

• In Event: 41021 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 5: Mental Health and Well-being

Abstract

This study investigates how immigrant destination types—Traditional, Secondary, New, and Peripheral—interact with key social determinants to shape mental health outcomes among Latinx populations in the United States. Using data from the 2021–2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), we examine the number of poor mental health days and the prevalence of frequent mental distress (FMD, defined as 14+ days per month) across 65,037 Latinx respondents from 42 states and the District of Columbia.

Our analysis categorizes states based on historical and contemporary patterns of immigrant settlement. Traditional Destinations (e.g., California, Texas, New York) have long-standing immigrant communities, while Secondary Destinations (e.g., Maryland, New Jersey) exhibit emerging but stable populations. New Destinations (e.g., Ohio, Missouri) have experienced rapid Latinx growth since the 1990s, and Peripheral Destinations (e.g., Nebraska, North Dakota) host relatively small Latinx populations.

State-level findings reveal notable disparities: North Carolina displays the best mental health profile with only 10% of respondents experiencing FMD and an average of 3.18 poor mental health days, whereas Ohio reports the worst outcomes, with 21% experiencing FMD and 6.50 poor mental health days. Regression analyses indicate that, even after accounting for household income, educational attainment, and health insurance, Latinxs in New Destinations consistently face higher mental distress compared to those in Traditional and Secondary Destinations.

This research underscores the importance of local context and socioeconomic factors in understanding Latinx mental health disparities and suggests the need for targeted policy interventions in emerging immigrant locales.

Author

• Shania Montufar, University of Texas-Austin