Theoretical background: There is a lack of comparative epidemiological studies about the mental health of different migrants groups in Germany. However, these are crucial for knowing the demand for psychotherapeutic treatment in these groups and formodifying the supply accordingly. The aim of the present study is to compare somatoform symptomatology, anxiety, and depression between migrants from Turkey, East-Europe and the former Soviet-Union. Besides, group differences in the propensity to visit a doctor for different symptoms are investigated. Methods: 43 migrants from East-Europe (both parents born in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, or Hungary), 49 migrants from the former Soviet Union (both parents born in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, or Kazakhstan; including Russian Germans), and 42 migrants from Turkey were investigated for depressive, somatoform, and anxiety symptomatology using the Patient-Health-Questionnaire. They also answered a questionnaire about their propensity to visit a doctor for different symptoms. Group differences were investigated with analyses of variance controlling for possible confounding factors. Results: Controlling for gender, age, living in a partnership, and employment status, there were no significant differences in depressive, somatoform, or anxiety symptomatology between the three groups. Controlling for age and gender there also were no significant differences in the propensity to visit a doctor for different symptoms. In general, women reported more somatoform symptoms and a higher propensity to visit a doctor for the different symptoms. Discussion: In this well integrated sample, we found no differing cultural influences in mental health or handling of different symptoms. Future studies should investigate the study questions with a bigger sample including migrants with worse knowledge of the German language. © 2010 by Verlag Hans Huber, Hogrefe AG.

Migrants from Turkey Migrants from East-Europe Psychiatric symptoms Migrants from the former Soviet-Union general population

male controlled study Turkey (republic) female human depression major clinical study General Health Questionnaire USSR anxiety disorder Europe Article migration somatoform disorder employment status ethnic difference