Ethnic enclave residence and mental health among community-dwelling Hispanic and Chinese older adults in New York City

OBJECTIVES: More than half of New York City (NYC)'s older adult population are immigrants, and many live in ethnic enclaves. We assessed the associations of enclave residence, gender, living status, and education with depression and anxiety among older Chinese and Hispanic adults in NYC. METHODS: We analyzed data from 640 community-dwelling Hispanic and Chinese older adults aged 60 and older, drawn from 1,310 TRIO participants, to examine associations between enclave residence and depressive and anxiety symptoms assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. RESULTS: Among Chinese women, enclave residence was associated with lower anxiety symptoms. Chinese women reported higher anxiety scores than Chinese men outside enclaves but not within enclaves. Enclave residence was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese participants. Among Hispanic older adults, gender emerged as a significant predictor: Hispanic women reported higher depression and anxiety severity compared to Hispanic men, independent of enclave status. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the association between enclave residence and anxiety differs by gender among Chinese older adults. Enclave residence was not significantly associated with depressive or anxiety symptoms among Hispanic participants. These patterns may inform assessment of mental health needs in these populations.