PPmP Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie
Volume 58, Issue 3-4, 2008, Pages 109-122

Depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders in labor migrants, asylum seekers and refugees: A systematic overview [Depressivität, angst und posttraumatische belastungsstörung bei arbeitsmigranten, asylbewerbern und flüchtlingen: Systematische übersichtsarbeit zu originalstudien] (Review)

Lindert J.* , Brähler E. , Wittig U. , Mielck A. , Priebe S.
  • a Evangelische Fachhochschule Ludwigsburg, Abteilung für Public Health, Evangelische Fachhochschule Ludwigsburg, Abteilung für Public Health, Auf der Karlshöhe 2, 76138 Ludwigsburg, Germany
  • b Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie
  • c Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Management im Gesundheitswesen, Neuherberg, Germany
  • d Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Institut für Gesundheitsökonomie und Management im Gesundheitswesen, Neuherberg, Germany
  • e Queen Mary, University of London, Barts and the London School of Medicine, Newham Centre for Mental Health

Abstract

Background: In 2006 there were about 200 millions of transnational "voluntary" migrants like labor migrants and "involuntary migrants" like refugees and asylum seekers worldwide. Depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in general populations and is reported to be highly prevalent among migrants. Aims: We aimed to assess and compare syndromes and symptoms of depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees; and to examine whether the prevalence rates are associated with study methods' and study quality. Methods: We systematically searched in the databases MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies published from 1994-2007. Studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria are 1) systematically described: 2) and evaluated with 15 quality criteria. Results: The literature search generated 348 results; and 37 fulfilled our inclusion criteria (35 populations) with n = 24681 migrants (labor migrants: n = 16971; refugees: n = 7710). Size of studies varies from a minimum of n = 55 participants to a maximum of n = 4558 participants (Median: n = 338). Prevalence rates for depression vary between 3% and 47% (labor migrants) and between 3% and 81% (refugees); for anxiety between 6% and 44% (labor migrants) and between 5% and 90% (refugees) and for PTSD between 4% and 86%. No study fullfilled all 15 quality criteria. Conclusion and outlook: Migrants are a heterogeneous group and prevalence rates vary widely between studies. There is a need of high-quality representative studies on migrants' mental health to adequately plan health and social care. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.

Author Keywords

Migrants Depression posttraumatic stress disorder Refugees Anxiety Prevalence

Index Keywords

symptomatology priority journal depression Review refugee health care planning anxiety disorder social care prevalence human migration posttraumatic stress disorder
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-43949100354&doi=10.1055%2fs-2008-1067358&partnerID=40&md5=7356d5aa6e3be685cb29f8b924854591
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1067358
ISSN: 09372032
Cited by: 45
Original Language: German