Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume 101, Issue 2, 2000, Pages 125-129

Potential for misdiagnosis among Turkish migrants with psychotic disorders: A clinical controlled study in Germany (Article)

Yagdiran O. , Mass R. , Krausz M. , Haasen C.*
  • a Clin. for Psychiat./Psychotherapy, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
  • b Clin. for Psychiat./Psychotherapy, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
  • c Clin. for Psychiat./Psychotherapy, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
  • d Clin. for Psychiat./Psychotherapy, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, Clin. for Psychiat./Psychotherapy, University Hospital Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany

Abstract

Objective: The elevated rate of schizophrenia among migrants has been explained in part by possible misdiagnosis. In this study an attempt is made to quantify the extent of potential misdiagnosis among migrants in comparison to non-migrants. Method: One hundred patients of Turkish origin (Tr-Pat) and a control group of 50 patients of German origin (G-Pat), all with a paranoid- hallucinatory syndrome upon admission, were examined by an interviewer of Turkish origin (Tr-Int), an interviewer of German origin (G-Int) and the clinican. The diagnostic evaluation was then compared. Results: Nineteen per cent of Tr-Pat and 4% of G-Pat showed diagnostic disagreement between the three raters, while in 8% of Tr-Pat and 0% of G-Pat the two research diagnoses disagreed. In Tr-Pat with 'bad' German knowledge showed tendentially more (29%) diagnostic disagreement than Tr-Pat with 'good' German knowledge (17%). Conclusion: The rate of potential misdiagnosis is higher among migrants, yet not strongly correlated to poor second language proficiency.

Author Keywords

schizophrenia Migration Misdiagnosis second language

Index Keywords

Germany immigrant schizophrenia paranoia human controlled study Turkey (republic) priority journal language interview Humans Severity of Illness Index male female Psychotic Disorders prevalence Article major clinical study adult Turkey Observer Variation hallucination Emigration and Immigration diagnostic error Diagnostic Errors
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0033973080&doi=10.1034%2fj.1600-0447.2000.90065.x&partnerID=40&md5=f1a49b3daeb793771873269bb083c3e4
DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.90065.x
ISSN: 0001690X
Cited by: 36
Original Language: English