Migration and mental health in Europe (The state of the mental health in Europe working group: Appendix I)

Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
Volume 1, 2005

Migration and mental health in Europe (The state of the mental health in Europe working group: Appendix I) (Review) (Open Access)

Carta M.G.* , Bernal M. , Hardoy M.C. , Haro-Abad J.M. , Kovess V. , Brugha T. , Lehtinen V. , Angermeyer M.C. , Xavier M. , Kittel F. , Fryers T. , Aongusa B.N. , Stefansson C.-G. , Poulsen H.D. , Pull C. , Abad J.M.H. , Katschnig H. , Madianos M.G. , Dalgard O.S. , Bijl R. , Rutz W. , Henderson J.H. , Lafortune G. , Mateos R. , Bebbington P. , Caldas de Almeida J.M. , Dahl A. , Joukaama M. , Mavrey V. , Morosini P. , Nettelbladt P. , Ormel J. , Rouillon F. , Walsh D. , Wancata J. , Weyerer S. , Demyttenaere K. , McColl K. , Capuano F. , Gagnon J. , Hill T. , Morgan Z. , Taub N. , Smith J.

^a Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
^b Unitat de Recerca i Desenvolupament, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu-SSM, Barcelona, Spain
^c Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
^d Unitat de Recerca i Desenvolupament, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu-SSM, Barcelona, Spain
^e MGEN Foundation of Public Health, Paris 5 University, Paris 5, France
^f University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
^g STAKES National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Finland
^h University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
ⁱ Faculty Medical Sciences of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
^j ESP, ULB, Campus Erasme, Bruxelles, Belgium
^k University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
^l Department of Health and Children, Ireland
^m The National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden
ⁿ Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
^o Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
^p Sant Joan de Deu-SSM, Spain
^q University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
^r University of Athens School of Nursing, Athens, Greece
^s University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
^t Ministry of Justice Research and Documentation, Netherlands
^u WHO Regional Office for Europe, France
^v Mental Health Europe, France
^w OECD, France
^x Faculty of Medicine, Santiago of Compostela, Spain
^y University College London Medical School, United Kingdom
^z Pan American Health Organization, Portugal
^a Aliv University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
^b University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
^c University of Ionnina, Ionnina, Greece
^d National Institute of Health, Italy
^e Lund University, Lund, Sweden
^f University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
^g University Paris XII, Paris, France
^h Health Research Board Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
ⁱ University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
^j Organisation Central Institute of Mental Health, Germany
^k KU Lueven, Lueven, Belgium
^l [Affiliation not available]
^m [Affiliation not available]
ⁿ [Affiliation not available]
^o [Affiliation not available]
^p [Affiliation not available]
^q [Affiliation not available]
^r [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

Background: This paper is a part of the work of the group that carried out the report "The state of the mental health in Europe" (European Commission, DG Health and Consumer Protection, 2004) and deals with the mental health issues related to the migration in Europe. Methods: The paper tries to describe the social, demographical and political context of the emigration in Europe and tries to indicate the needs and (mental) health problems of immigrants. A review of the literature concerning mental health risk in immigrant is also carried out. The work also faces the problem of the health policy toward immigrants and the access to health care services in Europe. Results: Migration during the 1990s has been high and characterised by new migrations. Some countries in Europe, that have been traditionally exporters of migrants have shifted to become importers. Migration has been a key force in the demographic changes of the European population. The policy of closed borders do not stop migration, but rather seems to set up a new underclass of so-called "illegals" who are suppressed and highly exploited. In 2000 there were also 392.200 asylum applications. The reviewed literature among mental health risk in some immigrant groups in Europe concerns: I) highest rate of schizophrenia; suicide; alcohol and drug abuse; access of psychiatric facilities; risk of anxiety and depression; mental health of EU immigrants once they returned to their country; early EU immigrants in today disadvantaged countries; refugees and mental health. Due to the different condition of migration concerning variables as: motivation to migrations (e.g. settler, refugees, gastarbeiters); distance for the host culture; ability to develop mediating structures; legal residential status it is impossible to consider "migrants" as a homogeneous group concerning the risk for mental illness. In this sense, psychosocial studies should be undertaken to identify those factors which may under given conditions, imply an increased risk of psychiatric disorders and influence seeking for psychiatric care. Comments and remarks: Despite in the migrants some vulnerable groups were identified with respect to health problems, in many European countries there are migrants who fall outside the existing health and social services, something which is particularly true for asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants. In order to address these deficiencies, it is necessary to provide with an adequate financing and a continuity of the grants for research into the multicultural health demand. Finally, there is to highlight the importance of adopting an integrated approach to mental health care that moves away from psychiatric care only. © 2005 Carta et al; licensee BioMed Central. Ltd.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

anxiety immigrant depression social psychology refugee schizophrenia health care policy demography Europe mental health human anxiolytic agent risk assessment medical research health service social aspect substance abuse financial management mental health care Review high risk population cultural factor prevalence migration legal aspect health care access alcohol abuse politics health hazard antidepressant agent health care need Suicide

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33845200879&doi=10.1186%2f1745-0179-1-13&partnerID=40&md5=0ee716546041319789eeca21360a1ef2

DOI: 10.1186/1745-0179-1-13

ISSN: 17450179

Cited by: 156

Original Language: English