The Lived Experiences of Depression and Nutrition Status Among Immigrant Mothers in Southern Taiwan

Introduction: More and more immigrant families exist worldwide. The number of new immigrants to Taiwan has increased 10% in the last 20 years, with most coming from mainland China, and South-East Asian countries. According to statistics, 10-20% of mothers develop depression after childbirth, with the highest number of immigrant mothers suffering from depressing being in Southern Taiwan. However, few studies have explored the experience of new immigrant mothers seeking mental health assistance in this area. As we know, immigrant mothers generally have lower body height and thinner than Taiwanese mothers. However, few people know how different of their body fat and results of blood test compared to Taiwanese mothers in southern Taiwan.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the lives of depressed new immigrant mothers and the results of blood test compared to Taiwanese mothers in Taiwan.

Methods: This study purposefully selected 200 immigrant mothers for blood test, and 10 immigrant mothers in a rural region of Taiwan for two unstructured interviews, lasting approximately one to one and a half hours. A descriptive phenomenological approach to inquiry formed the theoretical framework for this study. Colaizzi’s approach to analysis informed the analysis process.

Results:The blood test showed that their body fat and Zinc were higher than Taiwanese mothers (P<0.00). The immigrant mothers indicated that they liked to eat more high cholesterol food (e.g., fried spring rolls, meat, and rice) compared to Taiwanese mothers in their daily life. Five core themes were derived from the analysis of data: living with uncertainty and disappointment, feeling rejection and social isolation, living with insomnia and depression, experiencing different ways of life, and struggling to maintain independence.

Conclusion: The findings of this study have the potential to make significant contributions to existing knowledge concerning the lived experiences of and clarify the difficult situation and the needs among immigrant mothers in Taiwan.