Factors Related to Depressive Symptoms Among Multicultural Adolescents in Korea

Social determinants of health of racial and ethnic minority adolescents: An integrative literature review

Integration of adolescents with diverse cultural backgrounds into the country of residence is associated with some form of rejection and discrimination, predisposing them to undesirable health outcomes. In this regard, the aim of this study was to identify the social determinants of the health of racial and ethnic minority adolescents. In this integrative literature review, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases were searched from 2016 to 2021 and studies were selected according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Health status was limited to health outcomes according to the definition proposed by the World Health Organization and Healthy People 2020. The social determinants of health were classified according to the research framework of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Six types of health status were identified: self-rated health, obesity and overweight, global self-worth, emotional well-being, anthropometric measurement, and psychosocial adjustment. The social determinants of health were at the individual and interpersonal level, and the domains included the biological (gender, illness experience), psychological (acculturative stress), and sociocultural environment (e.g., socioeconomic status, parents' educational level, household death due to violence). Therefore, future research must prioritize their sociocultural environments to reduce the negative impact of discrimination and sociocultural and structural differences on racial and ethnic minority adolescents.

Effectiveness of Health Promotion Interventions in Primary Schools-A Mixed Methods Literature Review

School-based health promotion interventions (HPIs) are commonly used in schools, but scientific evidence about the structures of effective interventions is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a mixed methods systematic literature review to recognize the HPI structures related to their effectiveness. Based on the inclusion criteria, 49 articles were selected for the literature review. The articles, published in 2011-2022, described 46 different school-based interventions conducted in 20 different countries. The average duration of the interventions was 12 months, and they were implemented mostly with an RCT study design (61.2%) and by targeting children (69.4%). Three main groups of interventions were identified and explained: (1) extensive and long-term interventions; (2) school policy-changing interventions; and (3) highly effective interventions. Effective school-based HPIs included multiple target groups, multiple providers with external experts, and an efficient duration and timing of follow-ups. The implications for educational research and school practice are presented. Evidence on the effectiveness of health-related interventions is still lacking and needs to be addressed in further studies.

Immigrant-origin youths at risk: Trends in suicidal behaviors among Korean adolescents by immigrant origins and ethnic options (2011-2019)

BACKGROUND

In line with the immigrant paradox, immigrants' health advantages disappear among second-generation immigrant-origin youths, including a high prevalence of suicidal behaviors. Nevertheless, the secular trend in suicidal behaviors among immigrants in South Korea has not been examined. While Korean society was once considered homogeneous, intra-Asian migration has increased in recent decades. It is needed to explore the relationship between ethnic options and mental health outcomes among immigrant-origin youths, including suicidal behaviors.

METHODS

Using the nationally representative Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2011 to 2019 (600,541 non-immigrant-origin and 6,085 immigrant-origin), we examined the rates of suicidal behaviors to identify trends among youths with/without immigrant-origin and depending on the visibility of their immigrant-origin. Then, we conducted logistic regression to examine whether visibility is associated with higher suicidal behaviors among immigrant-origin youths.

RESULTS

Overall, suicidal behaviors have declined, but immigrant-origin youths showed higher levels of suicidal behaviors than non-immigrant-origin youths. Visible minority youths showed higher suicidal behaviors than their invisible counterparts, particularly in suicidal planning and suicide attempts. Among immigrant-origin youths, visible minority status was associated with higher suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts, controlling for socio-economic factors. Furthermore, female immigrant-origin youths show higher suicidal behaviors than their male counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that data disaggregation is needed when examining the mental health of immigrant-origin youths. Practitioners and policymakers should pay particular attention to immigrant-origin youths and recognize that their visibility may be associated with their risk of suicidal behaviors. Targeted intervention is also required for female visible minority youths.

Analyzing Gender Differences in Factors Affecting Depression among Multicultural Adolescents in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study

Suicide is the topmost cause of death among adolescents in South Korea and is deeply related to depression. This study aimed to identify gender differences in the factors affecting depression among multicultural adolescents. This study is a secondary analysis using data from a national survey, the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS) conducted in 2017. The participants were 1160 multicultural adolescents ranging from 15 to 18 years, living in Korea, and whose fathers were Koreans and mothers were foreigners. The results showed that depression scores were higher for females (18.35) than males (16.38, t = 6.42, p < 0.001). In total, seven factors affected depression among male multicultural adolescents’ and the model explained 50.5% of the total variance (F = 77.99, p < 0.001), while four factors affected female multicultural adolescents’ depression, and the model explained 51.4% of the total variance (F = 100.02, p < 0.001). Significant gender differences were found in factors that influence depression among multicultural adolescents. Therefore, depression prevention programs for multicultural adolescents need to vary according to gender. Additionally, these programs should target families and teachers of multicultural adolescents as well.