Doctoral Dissertation Research: Citizenship, Ethnic Identity and Health

琳达K. GeorgeTrenita B. ChildersDuke UniversityThe研究提出了一个理论贡献的文学移民健康的悖论，结合关键的社会学观点的压力过程和身份理论。关于这一主题的既定趋势很好地说明了移民身份与健康之间的关系。 然而，该项目将完成定性分析，以提供有关特定社会因素影响心理健康的关键机制的更细致入微的信息。 现有的文献对移民的健康和健康状况主要是基于结果从美国这项研究研究非美国的背景下，增加了更深入的了解社会因素如何影响移民的健康。具体而言，研究将探讨移民在发展中国家的背景下，以澄清现有的移民健康的理论关系的强度和普遍性的目标。 这项研究将包括无证人员，这可能进一步扩大目前的理解身份如何作为一个保护因素为心理health.Using原始定性数据，本论文的研究将探讨移民身份的差异，在心理健康的种族海地人生活在多米尼加共和国（D.R.）。多米尼加共和国有着独特的种族结构、历史和文件立法，这为筛选影响心理健康的社会因素之间的关系创造了一个理想的场所。该项目强调三个主要主题：感知的歧视，文件状态和种族身份的显着性。 研究问题有两个方面： 1)移民身份如何影响居住在D.R.的海地人的心理健康？以及2）如何感知歧视，文件状态和身份条件移民身份和心理健康之间的关系？本论文探讨社会因素在特定情境下影响心理健康的方式。 虽然该项目的所有参与者都是海地人，但主要的比较点是在民主共和国出生的人之间。出生在海地的人。 这种比较是至关重要的，因为许多出生在民主共和国的海地人后裔。被剥夺了多米尼加公民身份，使他们实际上成为无国籍人。 数据来自两个主要来源：对民主共和国海地社区进行的为期十个月的人种学调查。和60位居民的深入访谈。 二级数据收集战略包括在一个为该地区海地人后裔提供服务的诊所采访主要的信息提供者。 更广泛的影响这项研究有可能产生更广泛的影响。 首先，非政府组织和移民人口服务提供者可能会更深入地了解移民的经历。 在D.R.，在美国，各组织资助旨在改善移民健康和福祉的干预措施。 墨西哥移民到美国是移民群体的一个例子，也面临着周围的歧视，文件状态和种族身份的显着性问题。 鉴于这些相似之处，这项研究非常适合促进美国社会学家，心理学家，移民和人权学者以及全球健康学者之间的讨论。 最后，该项目将与多米尼加学者建立伙伴关系，包括多米尼加的教师和研究生。从事类似研究的人。 这将加强未来合作研究和教育的基础设施。结果将吸引多个受众参与关于社会政治因素对心理健康影响的关键对话。

Linda K. GeorgeTrenita B. ChildersDuke UniversityThe research proposes to make a theoretical contribution to the literature on the immigrant health paradox by incorporating key sociological perspectives-stress processes and identity theory. The established trends on the topic provide a good picture of how immigrant status and health are related. This project, however, will complete a qualitative analysis to provide more nuanced information about the key mechanisms by which specific social factors impact mental health. Existing literature on immigrant health and health status is largely based on results from the U.S. This research studies a non-U.S. context, adding greater depth to our understanding of how social factors influence immigrant health. Specifically, the research will examine immigrants within a developing country context with the goal to clarify the strength and generalizability of existing theoretical relationships of immigrant health . The study will include undocumented persons which could potentially further expand current understandings of how identity serves as a protective factor for mental health.Using original qualitative data, this dissertation research will examine immigrant status differences in mental health among ethnic Haitians living in the Dominican Republic (D.R.). The Dominican Republic has a unique racial structure, history, and documentation legislation, which create an ideal place to sift through relationships among social factors that influence mental health. This project emphasizes three primary themes: perceived discrimination, documentation status, and ethnic identity salience. The research question is two-fold: 1) How does immigrant status impact the mental health of ethnic Haitians living in the D.R.?, and 2) How do perceived discrimination, documentation status, and identity condition the relationship between immigrant status and mental health? This dissertation examines the ways that social factors influence mental health in a particular context. While all participants for this project are ethnic Haitians, the primary point of comparison is between those born in the D.R. and those born in Haiti. This comparison is critical because many people of Haitian descent who were born in the D.R. have been stripped of Dominican citizenship rendering them effectively stateless. Data are derived from two primary sources: a ten-month ethnographic investigation of a Haitian community in the D.R. and 60 in-depth interviews with residents. The secondary data collection strategy involves interviews with key informants at a clinic that serves people of Haitian descent in the region. Broader ImpactsThis study has the potential for a significant broader impact. First, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and service providers for immigrant populations will possibly gain greater insight into the immigrant experience. In the D.R., as in the U.S., organizations fund interventions aimed at improving immigrants' health and well-being. Mexican immigrants to the U.S. are an example of an immigrant group that also confronts issues surrounding perceived discrimination, documentation status, and ethnic identity salience. Given these similarities, this research is well-positioned to facilitate discussion in in the U.S. among sociologists, psychologists, migration and human rights scholars, and global health scholars. Finally, this project will establish partnerships with Dominican scholars including faculty and graduate students in the D.R. who are engaged in similar research. This will enhance the infrastructure for future collaborative research and education. Results will engage multiple audiences in the critical conversation about the impact of sociopolitical factors on mental health.