Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 4, 2016, Pages 878-885

Immigrants’ Pathways to Outpatient Mental Health: Are there Differences with the Native Population? (Article)

Gramaglia C. , Gambaro E. , Rossi A. , Toso A. , Feggi A. , Cattaneo C.I. , Castignoli G. , Mainini P. , Tarricone I. , Torre E. , Zeppegno P.*
  • a Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • b Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • c Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • d Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • e Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • f Community Mental Health Centre (CMHCs), Viale Zoppis 8, Borgomanero, NO 28021, Italy
  • g Community Mental Health Centre (CMHCs), Viale Zoppis 8, Borgomanero, NO 28021, Italy
  • h Community Mental Health Centre (CMHCs), Viale Zoppis 8, Borgomanero, NO 28021, Italy
  • i Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, viale C.Pepoli 5, Bologna, Italy
  • j Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy
  • k Institute of Psychiatry, Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli n. 17, Novara, 28100, Italy, SC Psichiatria, AOU Maggiore della Carità, Corso Mazzini n. 18, Novara, 28100, Italy

Abstract

A poor use of mental health services has been described in immigrants. We compared the sociodemographic, clinical and treatment features of immigrants and natives attending a Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC). 191 immigrants and 191 randomly selected natives applying to the Borgomanero CMHC between 1 January 2003 and 31 August 2013 were compared. Our sample consisted mainly of the so-called “economic” immigrant. Adjustment disorders and reaction to stress were the most frequent diagnoses; in most cases symptoms onset occurred after migration. Although treatment features overlapped in the two groups (duration, number of contacts), immigrants showed a higher frequency of treatment dropout. While it is necessary to improve access to mental health services for immigrants, for the “economic” immigrant it may be more important to focus on establishing a therapeutic relationship that can be experienced as reliable and trustworthy. The finding of similar pathways to access the CMHC in natives and immigrants is encouraging. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Treatment access Race/ethnicity Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) immigrants

Index Keywords

mental health service Outpatients mental health human middle aged statistics and numerical data Aged outpatient ethnology Mental Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies mental disease cross-sectional study migrant Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics Community Mental Health Services adult utilization Italy Medical History Taking anamnesis primary health care Patient Dropouts patient dropout
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84951768625&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0336-4&partnerID=40&md5=06204160cae4a95a8086556e2fae0d6c
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0336-4
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English