Australian Journal of Primary Health
Volume 21, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 286-292

Emergency department mental health presentations by people born in refugee source countries: An epidemiological logistic regression study in a Medicare Local region in Australia (Article)

Enticott J.C.* , Cheng I.-H. , Russell G. , Szwarc J. , Braitberg G. , Peek A. , Meadows G.
  • a Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, 314B Thomas Street, Dandenong, VIC 3176, Australia, Southern Mental Health Centre for Research, Training and Evaluation, Dandenong Hospital, 126-128 Cleeland Street, Dandenong, VIC 3175, Australia
  • b Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, 314B Thomas Street, Dandenong, VIC 3176, Australia
  • c Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, 314B Thomas Street, Dandenong, VIC 3176, Australia, School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Notting Hill Campus, c/-Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
  • d Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture, 4 Gardiner Street, Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia
  • e Emergency Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
  • f South Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local, 314A Thomas Street, Dandenong, VIC 3176, Australia
  • g Monash University, Department of Psychiatry, Dandenong Hospital, 126-128 Cleeland Street, Dandenong, VIC 3175, Australia, Southern Mental Health Centre for Research, Training and Evaluation, Dandenong Hospital, 126-128 Cleeland Street, Dandenong, VIC 3175, Australia

Abstract

This study investigated if people born in refugee source countries are disproportionately represented among those receiving a diagnosis of mental illness within emergency departments (EDs). The setting was the Cities of Greater Dandenong and Casey, the resettlement region for one-twelfth of Australia's refugees. An epidemiological, secondary data analysis compared mental illness diagnoses received in EDs by refugee and non-refugee populations. Data was the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset in the 2008-09 financial year. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression created predictive models for mental illness using five variables: age, sex, refugee background, interpreter use and preferred language. Collinearity, model fit and model stability were examined. Multivariate analysis showed age and sex to be the only significant risk factors for mental illness diagnosis in EDs. 'Refugee status', 'interpreter use' and 'preferred language' were not associated with a mental health diagnosis following risk adjustment for the effects of age and sex. The disappearance of the univariate association after adjustment for age and sex is a salutary lesson for Medicare Locals and other health planners regarding the importance of adjusting analyses of health service data for demographic characteristics. © 2015 La Trobe University.

Author Keywords

primary health. Epidemiology multivariate statistics

Index Keywords

depression refugee anxiety disorder Australia logistic regression analysis human sex difference Refugees middle aged psychosis Medicare statistics and numerical data controlled study Aged substance abuse Databases, Factual factual database Mental Disorders mental disease epidemiological data Young Adult Humans Adolescent Infant, Newborn male female preschool child Infant risk factor Risk Factors Child, Preschool Multivariate Analysis newborn refugee camp Article interpreter service adult major clinical study emergency health service age Sex Factors Age Factors Emergency Service, Hospital somatoform disorder Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84941125643&doi=10.1071%2fPY13153&partnerID=40&md5=fa3fe4f672e74e4e2337024bd5fda1c2
DOI: 10.1071/PY13153
ISSN: 14487527
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English