Ethnic Pride and its Effects on Depression in Immigrant Youth

[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Abstract Ethnic Pride and its Effects on Depression in Immigrant Youths By Eyiram Mckenzie Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology Purpose: Depression is increasingly becoming a topic of relevance and more factors are found which impact it either positively or negatively. Depression has also become a emergent health concern among young adults. According to results published by the WHO, depression has become the leading cause of death in young people from ages 15-29 (WHO, 2021). The aim of this study is to see if there is a correlation between ethnic identity and depression incidence rates in the Latino/a and Somali-American youth population of Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota. The second aim of the study is to see if socio-economic status plays any part in the correlation between ethnic identity and depression. Methods: Data was obtained from the PCAY survey, which is a sample consisting of Hispanic and Somali youth from the Minnesota Twin Cities metro area. Univariate analyses were conducted on the CES_D and MEIM scales to determine variance and Cronbach's alpha. Bivariate analyses were conducted between the dependent variable, the CES-D scale, and the MEIM scale to determine correlation. A Negative Binomial Regression was conducted subsequently to confirm an association between depression, gender, ethnic identity, and ethnicity. Results: Ethnic identity was a significant predictor of depression. For every additional point on the MEIM scale, the incidence rate of a higher depression score increases by .01% (IRR: 1.015, 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.02). Conclusion: Both cultures exhibited similar rates of incidence with scores on the MEIM scale and a slight increase in the depression scale. The study's results noted that a lower socioeconomic status is indicative of a lower incidence rate of depression. Future studies should be conducted to observe the effects of ethnic identity and depression on academic achievement.