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Stress, Coping, and Health: A Comparison of Mexican Immigrants, Mexican-Americans, and Non-Hispanic Whites

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Abstract

Mexican immigrants, Mexican-Americans, and non-Hispanic white Americans all face different stressors. Stress-coping strategies may vary for each group as well. We compared relationships among perceived stress, stress-coping strategies, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in a rural sample of Mexican citizens living in the United States, Mexican-Americans, and non-Hispanic whites. Health-related quality of life and stress-coping styles varied among the three groups. Mexican citizens reported significantly better physical functioning than did non-Hispanic whites or Mexican-Americans. Mexican-Americans reported significantly better mental health functioning than did non-Hispanic whites or Mexican citizens. Mexican citizens were more likely to use positive reframing, denial, and religion, and less likely to use substance abuse and self-distraction, as stress-coping strategies. Stress-coping style may be a potentially modifiable predictor of physical and mental HRQL, and may account for part of the Hispanic health paradox.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Salud Family Health Centers, 1115 Second Street, Fort Lupton, Colorado

    Tillman Farley MD, Al Galves & Maria de Jesus Diaz Perez

  2. Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

    Tillman Farley MD & L. Miriam Dickinson

  3. Medical Services Director, Salud Family Health Centers, 1115 Second Street, Fort Lupton, Colorado, 80621

    Tillman Farley MD

Authors
  1. Tillman Farley MD
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  2. Al Galves
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  3. L. Miriam Dickinson
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  4. Maria de Jesus Diaz Perez
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Correspondence to Tillman Farley MD.

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Farley, T., Galves, A., Dickinson, L.M. et al. Stress, Coping, and Health: A Comparison of Mexican Immigrants, Mexican-Americans, and Non-Hispanic Whites. J Immigrant Health 7, 213–220 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-3678-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-005-3678-5

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