Mental health care of migrants

Abstract

Multiculturalism in Europe is becoming a reality that increasingly affects most every psychiatrist. Effective mental health treatment adaptations to respond to the myriad ways in which migration impacts psychosocial development, help-seeking, symptom presentation, and all aspects of diagnosis and treatment. The bulk of research and theory in transcultural psychiatry has its origins in North America, and although highly laudable, represents a different context, history, and present with regard to multiculturalism and immigration. It is in response to this situation that the Section on Transcultural Psychiatry offers the following course.

This course will be an introduction to the general themes pertinent to the effective psychiatric care of migrant patients. The first part of the course will provide attendees with a general overview of key aspects relevant to the relationship between migration, culture, minority status and mental health/illness, which will then serve as the basis for the second part which will be focused on psychiatric interventions. The development of Intercultural communication and the development of a strong therapeutic relationship are key for diagnosis and treatment. Errors in the diagnosis of migrant patients is all too common due to differences in symptom presentation and meaning, as well as due to psychiatrist's lack of familiarity with this population. In addition to migration, culture, and minority status, psychiatric treatment is also affected by biological and genetic differences, which are both subtle and complex. Cultural mediation is increasingly being introduced as means of bridging the linguistic and cultural gap between psychiatrist and migrant patient, however, for a variety of reasons, effective use of this resource demands that specific steps be taken and that professionals are sufficiently well trained.

The course will be in the format of lecture, case presentations and group discussion.