Does social support mediate the negative effect of stress on acculturation in health? A study in immigrant colombians and peruvians in northern Chile

Abstract

The present study analyzed the mediating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between acculturation stress and general health in Colombian and Peruvian immigrants in Northern Chile. Eight hundred and fifty one people participated, men and women of Peruvian and Colombian nationalities living in the cities of Antofagasta, Arica and Santiago de Chile. We used the General Health questionnaires (SF-12) to assess physical and mental health, acculturation stress and social support perception. Results indicate that although there is a mediating effect of social support between the dimensions of acculturation stress and general health, this is only of a simple and partial type. We partially confirm the hypothesis regarding the indirect effect of perceived social support in immigrants and discuss other possible mediating variables such as differences in the perception of social support according to the cultural group to which one belongs.