Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T19:09:03.277Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Psychiatric disorders and social characteristics among second-generation Moroccan migrants in Belgium: An age–and gender–controlled study conducted in a psychiatric emergency department

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

P. Fossion*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, CHU Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020, Brussels, Belgium
Y. Ledoux
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, CHU Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020, Brussels, Belgium
F. Valente
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Statistics, School of Public Health, Free University of Brussels, Belgium;
L. Servais
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, CHU Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020, Brussels, Belgium
L. Staner
Affiliation:
Centre hospitalier secteur VIII, 27, rue du 4e R.S.M., 68250Rouffach, France
I. Pelc
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, CHU Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020, Brussels, Belgium
P. Minner
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, CHU Brugmann, 4, Place Van Gehuchten, 1020, Brussels, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: pierre.fossion@chu-brugmann.be (P. Fossion).
Get access

Summary

Purpose.

Clinically, one of the most consistent clinical findings among migrant patients is an increase in the rate of psychosis. The aim of the present study was to confirm this finding in Belgium by comparing second-generation Moroccan migrant patients with Belgian patients, matched for the variables of age and gender.

Subjects and method.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey on 272 patients admitted in a psychiatric emergency unit during the year 1998. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to compare the two subgroups.

Results.

Multivariate analyses showed that migrant patients lived more often with their parental family and that they presented a higher rate of admission for psychotic disorders and a lower rate of employment.

Discussion.

Our findings add to the growing body of results showing increased incidence of psychosis among immigrants to European countries, but several factors have to be taken into account, particularly with regard to selection biases and differences in help-seeking behaviour and in family perception of the mental illness.

Conclusion.

Our results are compatible with the hypothesis that unemployment is a contributing factor in the risk for psychosis among migrant groups. Further studies would be needed to better explain some of our results, particularly the role played by the families of migrant patients.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bebbinton, P.E, Hurry, J, Tennant, CPsychiatric disorders in selected immigrant groups in Camberwell. Soc Psychiatry 1981;16:4351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bebbington, P, Wilkins, S, Jones, P, Foerster, A, Murray, R, Toone, BLife events psychosis Initial results from the Camberwell Collaborative Psychosis Study. Br J Psychiatry 1993;162:7279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bhugra, D, Leff, J, Mallett, R, Der, G, Corridan, B, Rudge, SIncidence outcome of schizophrenia in whites. African-Caribbeans and Asians in London Psychol M 1997;27:791798.Google ScholarPubMed
Charalabaki, E, Bauwens, F, Stefos, G, Madianos, M.G, Mendlewitz, JImmigration psychopathology: a clinical study. Eur Psychiatry 1995;10:237244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cochrane, RMental illness in immigrants to England Wales: an analysis of mental hospital admission. Soc Psychiatry 1977;12:2535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cochrane, R, Bal, SMigration schizophrenia: an examination of five hypotheses. Soc Psychiatry 1987;22:181191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cochrane, R, Bal, S.SMental hospital admission rates of immigrants to England: a comparison of 1971 and 1981. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1989;24:211.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davies, S, Thornicroft, G, Leese, M, Higgingbotham, A, Phelan, MEthnic differences in risk of compulsory psychiatric admission among representative cases of psychosis in London. Br Med J 1996;2 (312):533537.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eagles, JThe relationship between schizophrenia immigration. Are there alternatives to psychosocial hypotheses?. Br J Psychiatry 1991;159:783789.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
El-Islam, FA better outlook for schizophrenics living in extended families. Br J Psychiatry 1979;135:343347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilvarry, C.M, Walsh, E, Samele, C, Hutchinson, G, Mallett, R, Rabe-Hesketh, S, et al. Life events ethnicity perceptions of discrimination in patients with severe mental illness. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1999;11:600608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glover, G.RThe pattern of psychiatric admissions of Caribbean-born immigrants in London. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1989;24:4956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodman, R, Richards, HChild adolescent psychiatric presentations of second-generation Afro-Caribbeans in Britain. Br J Psychiatry 1995;167:362369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gupta, SCan environmental factors explain the epidemiology of schizophrenia in immigrant groups?. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1993;28:263266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haasen, C, Lambert, M, Yagdiran, O, Krausz, MPsychiatric disorders among migrants in Germany: prevalence in a psychiatric clinic and implications for services and research. Eur Psychiatry 1997;12:305310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haasen, C, Lambert, M, Yagdiran, O, Krausz, MImpact of ethnicity on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among migrants in Germany. Ethn Health 1998;3:159165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haasen, C, Yagdiran, O, Mass, R, Krausz, MPotential for misdiagnosis among Turkish migrants with psychotic disorders: a clinical controlled study in Germany. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2000;101:125129.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamdi, E, Amin, Y, Abou-Saleh, MProblems in validating endogenous depression in the Arab culture by contemporary diagnostic criteria. J Affect Disord 1997;44:131143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, G, Owens, D, Holton, D, Neilson, D, Boot, DA prospective study of severe mental disorders in Afro-Caribbean patients. Psychol M 1988;18:643657.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, G, Holton, A, Neilson, D, Owens, D, Boot, D, Cooper, JSevere mental disorder in Afro-Caribbean patients: some social, demographic service factors. Psychol M 1989;19:683696.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, GSearching for the causes of schizophrenia: the role of migrant studies. Schizophr Bull 1990;16:663671.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, G, Glazebrook, C, Brewin, J, Cantwell, R, Dalkin, T, Fox, R.etalIncreased incidence of psychotic disorders in migrants from the Caribbean to the United Kingdom. Psychol M 1997;27:799806.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harvey, I, Williams, M, McGuffin, P, Toone, B.KThe functional psychoses in Afro-Caribbeans. Br J Psychiatry 1990;157:515522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
King, M, Coker, E, Leavey, G, Hoare, A, Johnson-Sabine, EIncidence of psychotic illness in London: comparison of ethnic groups. Br Med J 1994;309:11151119.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koffman, J, Fulop, N.J, Pashley, D, Coleman, KEthnicity use of acute psychiatric beds: one-day survey in North and South Thames regions. Br J Psychiatry 1997;171:238241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lin, K.M.etalEthnicity family involvement in the treatment of schizophrenic patients. J Nerv Ment Dis 1991;179:631633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lincoln, C.V, McGorry, PWho cares? Pathways to psychiatric care for young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Psychiatr Serv 1995;46:11661171.Google ScholarPubMed
Littlewood, R, Lipsedge, MPsychiatric illness among British Afro-Caribbeans. Br Med J 1998;296:950951.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGovern, D, Cope, RFirst psychotic admission rates of first- and-second-generation African-Caribbeans. Soc Psychiatry 1987;22:139149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortensen, P.B, Cantor-Graae, E, McNeil, T.FIncreased rates of schizophrenia among immigrants: some methodological concerns raised by Danish findings. Psychol M 1997;27:813820.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Odegaard, OEmigration and insanity: a study of mental disease among Norwegian-born population in Minnesota. Acta Psychiatr Neurol Scand 1932; 7 (Suppl 4):1206.Google Scholar
Parkman, S, Davies, S, Leese, M, Phelan, M, Thornicroft, GEthnic differences in satisfaction with mental health services among representative people with psychosis in south London: PRiSM study. Br J Psychiatry 1997;171:260264.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perera, REthnicity relapse in schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1993;162:845846.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perkins, R.E, Moodley, PPerception of problems in psychiatric patients: denial, race service usage. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1993;28:189193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rwegellera, G.GDifferential use of psychiatric services by West Indians, West Africans English in London. Br J Psychiatry 1980;137:428432.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schrier, A.C, van de Wetering, B.J, Mulder, P.G, Selten, J.PPoint prevalence of schizophrenia in immigrant groups in Rotterdam: data from outpatient facilities. Eur Psychiatry 2001;16:162166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Selten, J, Sijben, NFirst admission rates for schizophrenia in immigrants to The Netherlands. The Dutch National Register. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1994;29:7177.Google ScholarPubMed
Selten, J.P, Veen, N, Feller, W, Blom, J.D, Schols, D, Camoenie, W, et al. Incidence of psychotic disorders in immigrant groups to The Netherlands. Br J Psychiatry 178:2001;367372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sharpley, M, Hutchinson, G, McKenzie, K, Murray, R.MUnderstanding the excess of psychosis among the African-Caribbean population in England. Review of current hypotheses. Br J Psychiatry 2001;40 (Suppl):s60s68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thomas, C.S, Stone, K, Osborn, M, Thomas, P.F, Fisher, MPsychiatric morbidity compulsory admission among UK-born Europeans Afro-Caribbeans and Asians in central Manchester. Br J Psychiatry 1993;163:9199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van, O.S.J, Castle, D.J, Takei, N, Der, G, Murray, R.MPsychotic illness in ethnic minorities: clarification from the 1991 census. Psychol M 1996;26:203208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wessely, S, Castle, D, Der, G, Murray, RSchizophrenia and Afro-Caribbeans. A case–control study. Br J Psychiatry 1991;159:795801.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zolkowska, K, Cantor-Graae, E, McNeil, T.FIncreased rates of psychosis among immigrants to Sweden: is migration a risk factor for psychosis?. Psychol M 31:2001;669678.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.