Poster 35

[P-35-07] Social capital and social support as moderators in the association between perceived discrimination and mental health among Filipino domestic workers in Macao

*Xiaoyu Duan^1,2, Timothy S. Sumerlin², Brian J. Hall^2,3 (1.Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University(United States of America), 2.Center for Global Health Equity, NYU Shanghai(China), 3.Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University(United States of America))

Keywords:

Migrant domestic workers,Perceived discrimination,Mental health,Social capital,Social support

Background: Migrant domestic workers (MDW) face a heightened risk of poor mental health while working abroad, partly due to perceived discrimination. Social networks, including cognitive and structural social capital and perceived social support, are often viewed as protective. However, findings are mixed, with some studies reporting paradoxical effects, namely higher social capital or support associated with worse mental health.Objectives: To assess whether social capital and social support moderate the association between perceived discrimination and symptoms of anxiety and depression among Filipino MDWs in Macao, China.Materials and Methods: A total of 1,362 Filipino MDWs in Macao completed self-administered surveys between November 2016 and August 2017, using respondent-driven sampling. Demographics, perceived discrimination, anxiety and depression, cognitive and structural social capital, and perceived social support were collected. Multiple linear regression assessed the association between perceived discrimination and mental health, and tested moderation by social capital and social support.Results: Perceived discrimination was independently and positively associated with both depression (β = 0.217, P < 0.001) and anxiety (β = 0.198, P < 0.001). Higher cognitive social capital was independently associated with lower depression (β = -0.477, P = < 0.001) and anxiety (β = -0.356, P = 0.009). Structural social capital was positively linked to depression (β = 0.071, P = < 0.001), but not with anxiety. Social support showed no significant association. No moderating effects of social capital or social support on the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health were observed.Conclusions: Perceived discrimination is a robust predictor of anxiety and depression among Filipino MDWs. Cognitive social capital appears independently protective, while no buffering effects were found for social capital or social support. Further research is needed to explore the roles of social networks in this population and to inform interventions aimed at reducing discrimination and strengthening social resources.