Family Structure, Dwelling and Household Factors, and the Mental Health of Immigrant and Canadian‐Born Mothers

AIMS: To investigate the association between household contextual factors and the mental health of immigrant and Canadian-born mothers. METHODS: Guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, we used the General Social Survey 2016, 2017 and 2018 to examine the differences in family and dwelling characteristics of immigrant and Canadian-born mothers. We then used multivariable binary logistic regression models to estimate associations between family structure, income, marital status, household size, and dwelling type and ownership, and the odds of having poor or fair self-rated mental health or a diagnosed mental health condition. RESULTS: Immigrant mothers were more likely than Canadian-born mothers to have larger sized households, lower family income and to live in rental dwellings. Not being in a marital relationship was associated with both mental health outcomes among immigrant mothers. Having low-family income was associated with poor mental health conditions among Canadian-born mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Immigrant mothers are more likely to live in contexts that could be potentially harmful to mental health. The findings on low-income and larger families being associated with mental health highlight the importance of community-based interventions to support families and mothers.