Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria
Volume 39, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 147-153

An evolutionary approach to mania studying sardinian immigrants to Argentina (Article) (Open Access)

Carta M.G.* , Perra A. , Atzeni M. , D’Oca S. , Moro M.F. , Kurotschka P.K. , Moro D. , Sancassiani F. , Minerba L. , Brasesco M.V. , Mausel G. , Nardi A.E. , Tondo L.
  • a Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • b Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • c Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • d Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • e Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
  • f Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • g Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • h Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • i Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanitè Pubblica, Universitè degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
  • j Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad del Museo Social Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • k Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad del Museo Social Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • l Instituto de Psiquiatria (IPUB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
  • m Centro Lucio Bini Cagliari, Centro Lucio Bini Roma, Italy, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Objective: To ascertain lifetime prevalence of positivity to a screening questionnaire for bipolar disorders (BD) in Sardinian immigrants to Argentina and residents of Sardinia and assess whether such positivity affects quality of life (QoL) in either group. Our hypothesis is that screen positivity for BD may be more frequent in immigrants. Methods: Observational study. Subjects were randomly selected from the membership lists of associations of Sardinian immigrants in Argentina. A study carried out in Sardinia using the same methodology was used for comparison. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire was used to screen for mania/hypomania and the Short-Form Health Survey-12 to measure QoL. Results: A higher prevalence of manic/hypomanic episodes was found in Sardinian immigrants to Argentina (p < 0.0001; odds ratio = 3.0, 95% confidence interval 1.87-4.77). Positivity at screening was associated with a lower QoL both in Sardinian immigrants to Argentina and in residents of Sardinia. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show a higher lifetime prevalence of manic/hypomanic episodes in a general-population sample of individuals who migrated to a foreign country. Our results are in agreement with the hypothesis that hyperactive/novelty-seeking features may represent an adaptive substrate in certain conditions of social change. © 2017, Associacao Brasileira de Psiquiatria. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Bipolar Models/theories of psychiatry social and political issues Epidemiology mood disorders

Index Keywords

mood disorder immigrant Argentina sex ratio mental health human sex difference statistics and numerical data controlled study Logistic Models ethnology mania bipolar disorder Cross-Sectional Studies mental disease quality of life Surveys and Questionnaires cross-sectional study migrant psychology Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor psychological rating scale Risk Factors Psychiatric Status Rating Scales observational study questionnaire hypomania prevalence standards Mood Disorder Questionnaire Article sensitivity and specificity adult age Sardinia Sex Factors Age Factors Sex Distribution age distribution Italy statistical model

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85020206595&doi=10.1590%2f1516-4446-2016-2005&partnerID=40&md5=6835c0264c8f1499604d0a6745a41d5f

DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2016-2005
ISSN: 15164446
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English