Date of Conferral
7-8-2026
Date of Award
July 2026
Degree
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
School
Health Sciences
Advisor
Zin Htway
Abstract
The prevalence and poor prognosis of depressive symptoms remain significant among adult Black immigrants in the United States. This study examined the complex interplay between food insecurity, housing insecurity, self-care practices, and depression among adult Black immigrants in the United States. Grounded in the socioecological model, this quantitative cross-sectional study analyzed data from N = 469 noninstitutionalized Black immigrant adults (54.2% female, 45.8% male) using the 2023 National Health Interview Survey. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the probability of depressive symptoms as a function of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and self-care practices, controlling for age, gender, and employment status. Results indicated that both housing insecurity (OR =2.242 95% CI [2.039, 2.466], p < .001) and food insecurity (OR =1.888, 95% CI [1.661, 2.147,], p < .001) are significant positive predictors of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, self-care—operationalized as the physical functional ability to bathe and dress—is significantly and positively associated with the prevalence of depression (OR =2.115, 95% CI [1.815, 2.463], p = .002), though it does not function as a mediator between food insecurity and depression. These findings underscore an urgent need for targeted, structural mental health interventions that address both social determinants of health and physical functional barriers facing Black immigrant communities. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs to establish temporal relationships and potential causality.
Recommended Citation
Mbaocha, Beatrice Ngozi, "The Association between Food Insecurity, Housing Insecurity, Self-Care Practice and Depression among Black Immigrants in the United States" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20372.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20372
