The Mental Health of Filipino-Born Women 5 and 14 Years after they have given Birth in Australia

A Longitudinal Study

Bibliographic Data

ID3608725
AuthorsRosa Alati (0000-0002-9240-3450, The University of Queensland, corresponding author), Jakob Najman (The University of Queensland), Gail Williams (0000-0002-4822-5263, The University of Queensland)
Year2004
Volume13
Issue2
Pages145-156
Publication date2004-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Sociology Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1446-1242 • E-ISSN: 1839-3551
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.5172/hesr.13.2.145
OpenAlexW2103626687
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited14

It has been suggested that ‘Filipino brides’ may be ‘at risk’ of social isolation and mental health impairment after migrating to Australia to marry Australian men. This paper examines the mental health of a cohort of Filipino and Australian-born women who became mothers in Australia, and investigates the relationship between place of birth, social network size and symptoms of poor mental health. The data was taken from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a longitudinal study of mothers and children instigated in 1981. Symptoms of anxiety and depression and social network size were assessed at their first clinic visit (FCV), and followed up at 5 and 14 years. Filipino-born mothers had smaller social networks at the birth of their child, and reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression at FCV and 5 years follow-up (F/U), but did not differ from their Australian counterparts 14 years later. We conclude that Filipino-born migrants experience greater distress and poorer social networks than Australian-born mothers in the early years after they have given birth to a child in Australia. Further, that over a period of time, the decrease in mental health symptoms indicates the adaptation of Filipino-born women to their new environment

Anxiety · Cohort · Cohort study · Distress · Longitudinal study · Mental distress · Mental health · Psychiatry · Social isolation · Sociology · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology

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