Through a review of the epidemiological literature on the mental health
of Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics, the authors argue that lack of
attention to cultural issues in epidemiological studies leaves many
questions unanswered and raises concerns about the validity of studies in
this area. The authors point out that the mental health status of Puerto
Ricans in New York City is still poorly understood after 30 years of
research. The roles of cultural response styles and of culturally
meaningful expressions of distress in shaping responses to research
interviews should be central concerns in developing research in
cross-cultural psychiatry.Abstract Teaser