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Mental health, health care utilisation of migrants in Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

J. Lindert ,
M. Schouler-Ocak ,
A. Heinz  and
S. Priebe
J. Lindert*
Affiliation:
Social and Community Psychiatry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
M. Schouler-Ocak
Affiliation:
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
A. Heinz
Affiliation:
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
S. Priebe
Affiliation:
Social and Community Psychiatry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mail@jlindert.de (J. Lindert).
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Abstract

Background

Migration during the 1990s has been high and has been characterised by new migrations. Migration has been a key force in the demographic changes of the European population. Due to the different condition of migration in Europe, variables related to mental health of migrants are: motivation for migration, living conditions in the home and in the host country.

Aims

To give an overview on (i) prevalence of mental disorders; suicide; alcohol and drug abuse; (ii) access to mental health and psychosocial care facilities of migrants in the European region, and (iii) utilisation of health and psychosocial institution of these migrants.

Methods

Non-system review of the literature concerning mental health disorders of migrants and their access to and their consumption of health care and psychosocial services in Europe.

Results

It is impossible to consider “migrants” as a homogeneous group concerning the risk for mental illness. The literature showed (i) mental health differs between migrant groups, (ii) access to psychosocial care facilities is influenced by the legal frame of the host country; (iii) mental health and consumption of care facilities is shaped by migrants used patterns of help-seeking and by the legal frame of the host country.

Conclusion

Data on migrant's mental health is scarce. Longitudinal studies are needed to describe mental health adjusting for life conditions in Europe to identify those factors which imply an increased risk of psychiatric disorders and influence help seeking for psychosocial care. In many European countries migrants fall outside the existing health and social services, particularly asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants.

Keywords

MigrantsMental healthAccessPsychosocial services consumption
Type
Research Article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue S1: Transcultural psychiatry in Europe , January 2008 , pp. s114 - s20
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2008

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