Alison Teyhan, Maria Maynard, Melissa Whitrow, Seeromanie Harding MRC, Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Scotland Introduction Studies in the US and in Australia have shown that increasing acculturation does not necessarily promote better health. Acculturation generally refers to the change in cultural norms arising from the interaction of different cultures. In Britain, very little is known about this process and its impact on health. We are using the MRC DASH (Determinants of Adolescent Social well-being and Health) study to examine the relationship between aspects of cultural identity and mental health in adolescence. We are also examining the role of gender, generational status and socio- economic circumstances (SES). We present preliminary results for Black Caribbeans and Black Africans, groups of similar African ancestry but of different historic experiences. Aspects of cultural identity and mental health in Black African origin adolescents in the DASH study Social and Public Health Sciences Unit OR Cultural Identity, Socioeconomic Status and Mental Health: Odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals from multiple regression analyses, boys (left panel), girls (right panel) Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad <1/week Never White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK=1.00 Attend place of worship >=1/week=1.00 OR c. Attending place of worship White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK=1.00 Attend place of worship >=1/week=1.00 Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad <1/week Never OR White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK =1.00 Friends of same ethnicity. Quite a lot=1.00 Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad Most Some or none OR a. Ethnicity of friends White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK=1.00 Friends of same ethnicity. Quite a lot=1.00 Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad Most Some or none OR White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK =1.00 Speak English with family most of the time=1.00 Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad Quite a lot Sometimes Rarely or never OR b. Speaking English with family White UK=1.00 Father employed=1.00 Least disadvantaged=1.00 Born in UK=1.00 Speaking English with family. Most of the time=1.00 Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Unemployed Absent father Other Most disadvantaged Born abroad=1.00 Quite a lot Sometimes Rarely or never OR Method Just over 6,600 pupils aged years in 51 schools in 11 London boroughs took part in Wave 1. Information was collected on social circumstances, health behaviours and psychological well-being. Ethnicity was determined by self reported ethnic origin and consistent background of parents and grandparents. Africans were classified as those that have been migrating since the 1950s (Nigerians, Ghanaians) and those with relatively recent migration history (Ethiopians, Somalis, Eritreans etc). Cultural identity was measured by ethnic mix of friends, use of English with family and friends, and active membership of a religious congregation. The scales for these measures reflect increasing integration. For example ‘most friends of the same ethnicity’ reflect relative lack of integration as compared to those with ‘some or no friends of same ethnicity’. SES was measured by a combination of standard of living and economic activity of father. Mental health was measured using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) giving a total difficulties score (0-40). A score of >=17.5 was used to identify potential mental health problems. Key points Diversity in aspect s of cultural identity Diverse friendships were common in all groups, and greatest for Other Africans, among whom English was least used with family members. About one fifth of Black Caribbeans spoke ‘Patois’ with family members. About three quarters of Black Caribbeans and Nigerians/Ghanaians reported a Christian denomination while just under half of Other Africans reported that they were Muslims. Compared with the White UK group, weekly attendance at a place of worship was much higher for all 3 groups. Protective effect of directly African ethnicity Nigerian/Ghanaian ethnicity among boys and Other African ethnicity among girls appeared to be protective of mental health compared with their White UK counterparts, independent of cultural identity factors, SES or generational status. Interplay between gender and cultural patterning of identity The relationship between cultural identity and mental health is not straightforward and is gender specific. Among girls, the prevalence of mental health problems was greater among those who had either high or low proportion of friends of the same ethnicity, suggesting either extreme on this scale of acculturation is associated with an unfavourable effect; but very frequent attendance at a place of worship, a tradition in Black African and Caribbean communities, was associated with a protective effect. The unfavourable effect of having a low proportion of friends of the same ethnicity was strongest for White UK girls and that of no church attendance for Caribbean girls. Work in progress Work in progress addresses issues related to school and area of residence effects, and examines further the role of social support, particularly within different family types. Sample CharacteristicsN% Ethnicity White UK Black Caribbean Nigerian/Ghanaian Other African Indian Pakistani/Bangladeshi Mixed White Others All Others Most Quite a lot Some or none Most of the time Quite a lot of the time Sometimes Little or no English Visiting place of worship Once a week or more Less than once a week Never Cultural identity factors & prevalence of poor mental health by ethnicity White UK* % Black Caribbean* % Nigerian / Ghanaian* % Other African* % Proportion of friends of same ethnicity Most Quite a lot Some or none Speaking English with family Most or all of the time Quite a lot Sometimes Rarely or never Visiting place of worship >=1/week <1/week Never SDQ Score >= *100% refers to sample size of ethnic group Proportion of friends of same ethnicity Speaking English with family