The Relationship Between Immigration and Depression in South Africa: Evidence from the First South African National Income Dynamics Study

J Immigrant Minority Health (2014) 16:10621068 DOI 10.1007/s10903-014-9987-9

ORIGINAL PAPER

The Relationship Between Immigration and Depression in South Africa: Evidence from the First South African National Income Dynamics Study

Andrew Tomita Charlotte A. Labys

Jonathan K. Burns

Published online: 14 February 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Abstract Few studies have examined depression among immigrants in post-apartheid South Africa, and factors that strengthen the relationship between immigration and depression. The rst wave of the National Income Dynamics Study was used to investigate links between immigration and depression (n = 15,205). Depression symptoms were assessed using a 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Immigrants in South Africa had fewer depressive symptoms (CES-D C 10) than locally-born participants(17.1 vs. 32.4 %, F = 13.5, p \ 0.01). Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analyses found that among immigrant populations, younger age (adjusted OR 1.03, 95 % CI 1.011.05) and black African ethnicity (adjusted OR 3.72, 95 % CI 1.2910.7) were associated with higher depression. Younger age was associated with lower depression among locally-born study participants (adjusted OR 0.98, 95 % CI 0.970.98). The varying relationship between certain demographic factors, depression and the different mental health challenges among these groups requires closer attention.

Keywords Depression South Africa Immigration

Multilevel analysis

Introduction

South Africa, with its diverse cultures, languages, and racial/ethnic groups, is in the process of redening a national identity of inclusiveness, with immigration representing a difcult dilemma following the end of apartheid [1]. Immigrants from across the continent seek refuge in South Africa, pursuing new opportunities or eeing dif-cult circumstances in their countries of origin, often triggered by war and economic/political instability. South Africa, however, has a history of income inequality, racism and migrant labor, which undermined family cohesion and engendered violence under the apartheid regime; these factors have had a devastating impact on physical health [2] as well as an enduring effect on mental health in the post-apartheid era. South Africa has a population of51.8 million, with approximately 4.4 % being foreign-born [3], although an internal census of migrants is somewhat indenable. For many immigrants living in South Africa, their struggles are often exacerbated by a climate of xenophobia and discrimination [4].

The process of migrating and encountering different cultures is stressful,...