A Comparative and Exploratory Analysis of Socio-cultural Factors and Immigrant Women’s Mental Health within a Canadian Context

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of macro-level factors on immigrant and non-immigrant women's mental health status in a Canadian context. This study was part of a larger study examining women's quality of life in south eastern Ontario. Using survey research methods, data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 91 women of whom 66 identified their country of origin as "other" than Canada. Descriptive, bivariate and regression analysis of this data revealed that immigrant and non-immigrant women's macro-level predictors of mental health status vary. Overall, for immigrant women's perceptions of neighbourhood social cohesion was a stronger predictor influencing mental health status, while for non-immigrant women social support was more influential. Research with larger, representative samples should explore the findings to ascertain generalizability.