Mental Health Among Returned Mexican Migrants to Mexico City

Background: Although research studies have examined the mental health effects of immigrants migrating to the United States, there are scarce studies on the mental health effects of voluntary or involuntary (e.g. deportation) migration among return migrants in Mexico City. Our study has expanded upon these findings by generating new data on the psychological distress deportation and voluntary return have for those leaving the U.S. with no or limited access to health services, by including a novel sample (long-term U.S. residents of Mexican descent who returned to Mexico either voluntarily or forced) and new outcomes such as sleep quality.

Methods: Tirando Muros Salud sin Fronteras is an ongoing NIH-funded study employing a concurrent mixed-method nested design including the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Self-reported migration, substance use, and mental health symptom histories are collected. To date, a total of 435 surveys have been conducted consisting of two subgroups representing “recent” immigrants (past 5 years) in Los Angeles (n=253) and a group of immigrants who returned to Mexico City voluntarily or involuntarily (n=307). In the sample at large, the participant's age range is 18 to 55 (mean 37.5 years) and 75% are male. Psychological distress was measured using the GHQ-28, Depressive symptomatology was measured using an 8-item version of the CES-D, and sleep quality was measured using 1 item from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Results: The findings examine three outcomes: depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and poor sleep. The sample spent an average of 12 years living in the United States and had an average of 41.5 months (3.5 years; SE=1.1) since their last return to Mexico. Over half (54.9%) last returned to Mexico due to deportation. In unadjusted models examining the association of immigration factors, depression symptomology was positively associated with leaving a child behind (β=2.09, 95% CI=0.43-3.76) and social isolation (β=1.41, 95% CI=1.05-1.77), and negatively associated with social support (β=-0.15, 95% CI=-0.20-0.10). Similar results were found for unadjusted models of psychological distress. In the unadjusted model of poor sleep, arrival in the U.S. as a minor (OR=2.35, 95% CI=1.34-4.13) and with higher social isolation (OR=1.26, 95% CI=1.10-1.45) had increased odds of poor sleep. Similar to other outcomes, greater social support was associated with lower odds of poor sleep (OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.95-0.98).

Conclusion: The project’s quantitative analysis reveals that returned Mexican migrants in Mexico City experience high rates of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and poor sleep when leaving a child behind. Further, a lack of current social support and current social isolation render the population more vulnerable to these experiences. This study will have an important positive impact by identifying and assessing unrecognized and preventable health conditions to improve health among return immigrants and may inform future public health interventions to better aid this underserved population.