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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 9/2010

01-09-2010 | Original Paper

A comparison of quality of life and depression between female married immigrants and native married women in Taiwan

Authors: Frank Huang-Chih Chou, Pei-Chun Chen, Renyi Liu, Chi-Kung Ho, Kuan-Yi Tsai, Wen-Wei Ho, Shin-Shin Chao, Kung-Shih Lin, Shih-Pei Shen, Cheng-Chung Chen

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 9/2010

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Abstract

Backgrounds

Immigration to Taiwan is often connected with marriage, resulting in the presence of so-called married immigrants or foreign brides.

Aims

To compare the quality of life (QOL) and prevalence of depression between female married immigrants and native married women.

Methods

Trained assistants used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36) and the disaster-related psychological screening test (DRPST) to interview 1,602 married women who were 16–50 years of age. Half (801) of the participants were female immigrants, whilst the remainder comprised the age-matched control group that consisted of 801 native married women. Participants who scored ≥2 (probable major depressive episode) on the DRPST were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria by a senior psychiatrist. The MOS SF-36 measures QOL and has two dimensions: the physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS).

Results

Married immigrants had a lower prevalence (3.5%) of major depressive episodes than native women (8.9%) in Taiwan. Variables such as an increased severity of psychosocial impact were the best predictors of a lower PCS and MCS.

Conclusion

Compared to Taiwanese native married women, fewer married immigrants had stressful life events or depression, and they reported higher QOL. After controlling for putative confounding factors, the married immigrants still had better mental QOL and a lower prevalence rate of depression.
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Metadata
Title
A comparison of quality of life and depression between female married immigrants and native married women in Taiwan
Authors
Frank Huang-Chih Chou
Pei-Chun Chen
Renyi Liu
Chi-Kung Ho
Kuan-Yi Tsai
Wen-Wei Ho
Shin-Shin Chao
Kung-Shih Lin
Shih-Pei Shen
Cheng-Chung Chen
Publication date
01-09-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 9/2010
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0130-5

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