Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T07:50:59.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Mood disorders in first- and second-generation immigrants: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Irina Mindlis
Affiliation:
Lic, Division of General Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
Paolo Boffetta
Affiliation:
Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Background

Although there are consistent reports of higher psychosis rates among immigrants, the information on mood disorders is limited.

Aims

To review and quantify the difference in incidence of mood disorders in first- and second-generation immigrant (FGI and SGI) groups v. non-immigrants.

Method

PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched for articles from cohort studies reporting incidence of mood disorders among FGIs and SGIs.

Results

Eighteen studies met our inclusion criteria. The summary relative risk (RR) for FGIs was 1.25 (95% CI 1.11–1.41), based on 17 effect sizes and 6120 cases, and 1.16 (95% CI 0.96–1.40) for SGIs based on three effect sizes. Men seemed at higher risk (RR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.06–1.56).

Conclusions

Clinicians should view FGIs as a group at risk of mood disorders, especially men. Further research is needed to understand immigrants' risk, especially in SGI.

Type
Review Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2017 

Footnotes

Declaration of interest

None.

References

1 United Nations, Population Division. Trends in International Migrant Stock: The 2013 Revision. UN, 2013.Google Scholar
2 Bhugra, D. Migration and mental health. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004; 109: 243–58.Google Scholar
3 Bourque, F, van der Ven, E, Malla, A. A meta-analysis of the risk for psychotic disorders among first- and second-generation immigrants. Psychol Med 2011; 41: 897910.Google Scholar
4 Cantor-Graae, E, Pedersen, CB. Full spectrum of psychiatric disorders related to foreign migration: a Danish population-based cohort study. JAMA Psychiatry 2013; 70: 427–35.Google Scholar
5 Selten, JP, Veen, ND, Hoek, HW, Laan, W, Schols, D, van der Tweel, I, et al. Early course of schizophrenia in a representative Dutch incidence cohort. Schizophr Res 2007; 97: 7987.Google Scholar
6 Swinnen, SGHA, Selten, J-P. Mood disorders and migration: meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry 2007; 190: 610.Google Scholar
7 Salas-Wright, CP, Kagotho, N, Vaughn, MG. Mood, anxiety, and personality disorders among first and second-generation immigrants to the United States. Psychiatry Res 2014; 220: 1028–36.Google Scholar
8 Moher, D, Liberati, A, Tetzlaff, J, Altman, DG. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Ann Intern Med 2009; 151: 264–9.Google Scholar
9 Wells, G, Shea, B, O'Connell, D, Peterson, J, Welch, V, Losos, M, et al. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for assessing the quality of nonrandomised studies in meta-analyses. Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 2013 (http://www.ohri.ca/programs/clinical_epidemiology/oxford.asp).Google Scholar
10 Higgins, J, Green, S. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Cochrane Collaboration, 2011.Google Scholar
11 Krupinski, J, Stoller, A. Incidence of mental disorders in Victoria, Australia, according to country of birth. Med J Aust 1965; 2: 265–9.Google Scholar
12 Westman, J, Johansson, LM, Sundquist, K. Country of birth and hospital admission rates for mental disorders: a cohort study of 4.5 million men and women in Sweden. Eur Psychiatry 2006; 21: 307–14.Google Scholar
13 Sundquist, K, Frank, G, Sundquist, J. Urbanisation and incidence of psychosis and depression: follow-up study of 4.4 million women and men in Sweden. Br J Psychiatry 2004; 184: 293–8.Google Scholar
14 Hollander, AC, Bruce, D, Ekberg, J, Burstrom, B, Ekblad, S. Hospitalisation for depressive disorder following unemployment-differentials by gender and immigrant status: a population-based cohort study in Sweden. J Epidemiol Community Health 2013; 67: 875–81.Google Scholar
15 Norredam, M, Garcia-Lopez, A, Keiding, N, Krasnik, A. Risk of mental disorders in family reunification migrants and native Danes: a register-based historically prospective cohort study. Int J Public Health 2010; 55: 413–9.Google Scholar
16 Saraiva Leao, T, Sundquist, J, Johansson, LM, Johansson, SE, Sundquist, K. Incidence of mental disorders in second-generation immigrants in Sweden: a four-year cohort study. Ethn Health 2005; 10: 243–56.Google Scholar
17 Norredam, M, Garcia-Lopez, A, Keiding, N, Krasnik, A. Risk of mental disorders in refugees and native Danes: a register-based retrospective cohort study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2009; 44: 1023–9.Google Scholar
18 Leff, JP, Fischer, M, Bertelsen, A. A cross-national epidemiological study of mania. Br J Psychiatry 1976; 129: 428–42.Google Scholar
19 Selten, JP, van Os, J, Nolen, WA. First admissions for mood disorders in immigrants to the Netherlands. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2003; 38: 547–50.Google Scholar
20 Gershon, E, Liebowitz, JH. Sociocultural and demographic correlates of affective disorders in Jerusalem. J Psychiatr Res 1975; 12: 3750.Google Scholar
21 Thomas, CS, Stone, K, Osborn, M, Thomas, PF, Fisher, M. Psychiatric morbidity and compulsory admission among UK-born Europeans, Afro-Caribbeans and Asians in central Manchester. Br J Psychiatry 1993; 163: 91–9.Google Scholar
22 Mortensen, PB, Cantor-Graae, E, McNeil, TF. Increased rates of schizophrenia among immigrants: some methodological concerns raised by Danish findings. Psychol Med 1997; 27: 813–20.Google Scholar
23 Rwegellera, GGC. Psychiatric morbidity among West Africans and West Indians living in London. Psychol Med 1977; 7: 317–29.Google Scholar
24 Hemsi, LK. Psychiatric morbidity of West Indian immigrants. Soc Psychiatry 1967; 2: 95100.Google Scholar
25 Hitch, PJ, Clegg, P. Modes of referral of overseas immigrant and native-born first admissions to psychiatric hospital. Soc Sci Med Med Psychol Med Sociol 1980; 14a: 369–74.Google Scholar
26 Weyerer, S, Hafner, H. The high incidence of psychiatrically treated disorders in the inner city of Mannheim. Susceptibility of German and foreign residents. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1992; 27: 142–6.Google Scholar
27 Krupinski, J, Cochrane, R. Migration and mental health – a comparative study. J Intercultural Studies 1980; 1: 4957.Google Scholar
28 Malzberg, B. Mental disease among native and foreignborn whites in New York state. Am J Psychiatry 1936; 93: 127–37.Google Scholar
29 McGovern, D, Cope, RV. First psychiatric admission rates of first and second generation Afro Caribbeans. Soc Psychiatry 1987; 22: 139–49.Google Scholar
30 Egger, M, Davey Smith, G, Schneider, M, Minder, C. Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. BMJ 1997; 315: 629–34.Google Scholar
31 Begg, CB, Mazumdar, M. Operating characteristics of a rank correlation test for publication bias. Biometrics 1994; 50: 1088–101.Google Scholar
32 Bhugra, D, Gupta, S. Migration and Mental Health. CUP, 2011.Google Scholar
33 United Nations. Internal Migration of Women in Developing Countries: Proceedings of the United Nations Expert Meeting on the Feminization of Internal Migration. UN, 1993.Google Scholar
34 United Nations. Women and Migration. UN, 2004.Google Scholar
35 Harrison, G, Owens, D, Holton, A, Neilson, D, Boot, D. A prospective study of severe mental disorder in Afro-Caribbean patients. Psychol Med 1988; 18: 643–57.Google Scholar
36 Lindert, J, Ehrenstein, OS, Priebe, S, Mielck, A, Brahler, E. Depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees – a systematic review and meta-analysis. Soc Sci Med 2009; 69: 246–57.Google Scholar
37 Thapa, SB, Dalgard, OS, Claussen, B, Sandvik, L, Hauff, E. Psychological distress among immigrants from high- and low-income countries: findings from the Oslo Health Study. Nord J Psychiatry 2007; 61: 459–65.Google Scholar
38 Ryan, L, Leavey, G, Golden, A, Blizard, R, King, M. Depression in Irish migrants living in London: case–control study. Br J Psychiatry 2006; 188: 560–6.Google Scholar
39 Haasen, C, Demiralay, C, Reimer, J. Acculturation and mental distress among Russian and Iranian migrants in Germany. Eur Psychiatry 2008; 23: S103.Google Scholar
40 Han, HR, Kim, M, Lee, HB, Pistulka, G, Kim, KB. Correlates of depression in the Korean American elderly: focusing on personal resources of social support. J Cross Cult Gerontol 2007; 22: 115–27.Google Scholar
41 Miller, AM, Sorokin, O, Wang, E, Feetham, S, Choi, M, Wilbur, J. Acculturation, social alienation, and depressed mood in midlife women from the former Soviet Union. Res Nurs Health 2006; 29: 134–46.Google Scholar
42 Hernandez, D, Charney, E. The Health and Well-being of Children in Immigrants Families. National Academy Press, 1998.Google Scholar
43 Schwartz, SJ, Unger, JB, Lorenzo-Blanco, EI, Des Rosiers, SE, Villamar, JA, Soto, DW, et al. Perceived context of reception among recent Hispanic immigrants: conceptualization, instrument development, and preliminary validation. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2014; 20: 115.Google Scholar
44 Keskimaki, I, Salinto, M, Aro, S. Socioeconomic equity in Finnish hospital care in relation to need. Soc Sci Med 1995; 41: 425–31.Google Scholar
45 Lorant, V, Kampfl, D, Seghers, A, Deliege, D, Closon, MC, Ansseau, M. Socioeconomic differences in psychiatric in-patient care. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2003; 107: 170–7.Google Scholar
46 Kawachi, I, Berkman, LF. Social ties and mental health. J Urban Health 2001; 78: 458–67.Google Scholar
47 Seeman, TE. Social ties and health: the benefits of social integration. Ann Epidemiol. 1996; 6: 442–51.Google Scholar
48 Bassuk, SS, Glass, TA, Berkman, LF. Social disengagement and incident cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly persons. Ann Intern Med 1999; 131: 165–73.Google Scholar
49 Berkman, LF, Melchior, M, Chastang, JF, Niedhammer, I, Leclerc, A, Goldberg, M. Social integration and mortality: a prospective study of French employees of Electricity of France–Gas of France: the GAZEL Cohort. Am J Epidemiol 2004; 159: 167–74.Google Scholar
50 Cacioppo, JT, Hawkley, LC, Crawford, LE, Ernst, JM, Burleson, MH, Kowalewski, RB, et al. Loneliness and health: potential mechanisms. Psychosom Med 2002; 64: 407–17.Google Scholar
51 Hamrick, N, Cohen, S, Rodriguez, MS. Being popular can be healthy or unhealthy: stress, social network diversity, and incidence of upper respiratory infection. Health Psychol 2002; 21: 294–8.Google Scholar
52 Walen, HR, Lachman, ME. Social support and strain from partner, family, and friends: costs and benefits for men and women in adulthood. J Soc Personal Relationships 2000; 17: 530.Google Scholar
53 Lin, N. Social networks and mental health. In A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health: Social Contexts, Theories and Systems: 241–58. CUP, 1999.Google Scholar
54 Cobb, S. Presidential Address – 1976. Social support as a moderator of life stress. Psychosom Med 1976; 38: 300–14.Google Scholar
55 Mulvaney-Day, NE, Alegria, M, Sribney, W. Social cohesion, social support, and health among Latinos in the United States. Soc Sci Med 2007; 64: 477–95.Google Scholar
56 Cattell, V. Poor people, poor places, and poor health: the mediating role of social networks and social capital. Soc Sci Med 2001; 52: 1501–16.Google Scholar
57 Cantor-Graae, E, Selten, JP. Schizophrenia and migration: a meta-analysis and review. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162: 1224.Google Scholar
58 Odegaard, O. Emigration and insanity. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl 1932; 4(1).Google Scholar
59 Selten, JP, Cantor-Graae, E, Slaets, J, Kahn, RS. Odegaard's selection hypothesis revisited: schizophrenia in Surinamese immigrants to The Netherlands. Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159: 669–71.Google Scholar
60 Van der Ven, E, Dalman, C, Wicks, S, Allebeck, P, Magnusson, C, van Os, J, et al. Testing Odegaard's selective migration hypothesis: a longitudinal cohort study of risk factors for non-affective psychotic disorders among prospective emigrants. Psychol Med 2015; 45: 727–34.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Mindlis and Boffetta Supplementary material

Supplementary Material

Download Mindlis and Boffetta Supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 1.2 MB
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.