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Mental health of two communities of Japanese‐Brazilians: A comparative study in Japan and in Brazil
Author(s) -
Miyasaka Lincoln Sakiara,
Otsuka Koichiro,
Tsuji Keisuke,
Atallah Alvaro Nagib,
Kunihiro Joseph,
Nakamura Yoshikazu,
Kato Satoshi,
Abe Yu,
Kamada Yoshiro
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1819.2002.00929.x
Subject(s) - mental health , logistic regression , medicine , community health , gerontology , demography , environmental health , public health , psychiatry , sociology , nursing
The aim of the present study was to assess the mental health status of Japanese‐Brazilians living in Kiyoharadai, Japan and compare the findings with the Japanese‐Brazilians living in Bauru, Brazil. A comparative community‐based mental health survey was conducted from November 1997 to April 1999 on a randomly selected sample of Brazilians of Japanese descent living in Bauru, Brazil ( n = 213) and on the entire Brazilian community of Kiyoharadai, Utsunomiya, Japan ( n = 158), using the self‐reporting questionnaire (SRQ‐20). Analysis was done by χ 2 , Fisher and multiple logistic regression. Scores indicating probable cases of minor psychiatric disorders, were found in 3.2% of the community in Bauru city and 17.8% (OR = 7.01) of the community in Kiyoharadai. The sociodemographic data indicated that those with high SRQ‐20 scores were most likely to be female (OR = 2.98), smokers (OR = 2.76), and those whose former occupation was student when living in Brazil (OR = 9.57). The mental health status of the Japanese‐Brazilians living in Kiyoharadai, Japan is significantly worse than that of the community living in Bauru, Brazil, particularly among women, smokers and those who were students when living in Brazil. Further research concerning the mental health of this community is necessary and assistance provided.