Migrants are much more mentally ill

Migration: In comparison to Germans, migrants are twice as likely to be mentally ill

13/09/2012

People with a migrant background in Germany suffer more often from mental illness than the average of the population. In addition, linguistic barriers often arise in the course of treatment, which can cause misdiagnosis, incorrect medication and general complications.

At the 12th Capital Symposium of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology in Berlin, experts from the University of Bielefeld, the Berlin Charité University Medicine, the LVR Clinic Cologne, the University Hospital Bonn and the Hannover Medical School (MHH) have identified the specific health problems of the migrants in Germany and the corresponding challenges for the health system. One focus was the mental health of people with a migrant background.

Unemployment, homesickness, language problems as the cause of mental illness
Under the headline „Mentally ill through migration? Perspectives of Migration Psychiatry in Germany“ On Wednesday at the symposium of the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology (DGPPN), the experts explained the special vulnerability of people with a migration background to mental illness and highlighted problems caused by linguistic barriers in the health system. Several previous studies have already indicated this, „that low integration into society favors the development of mental illnesses“, reported the DGPPN. In addition, however, little is known about the mental illness in this group and their medical-psychiatric care. Dr. med. Meryam Schouler-Ocak of the Berliner-Charité named in her speech „On the intercultural opening of the mental health system and the care of migrants“ Unemployment, loneliness, homesickness, poor education, language problems and poor housing conditions are major risk factors for the high number of mental illnesses among migrants.

Language barriers during therapy
According to Dr. med. Meryam Schouler-Ocak, many people with a migrant background, for example, out of shame or ignorance, tend to seek medical help much too late. If they eventually go to the doctor, they often have language problems that lead to misdiagnosis, misuse of medication or certain therapies are withheld from the patient, added Prof. Dr. med. med. Wolfgang Maier from the University Hospital Bonn, President of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology. Although there has been a demand for an intercultural checklist for hospitals and other major health care facilities for more than twenty years, the experts at the 12th Capital Symposium reported that they have failed so far because the health insurance companies do not finance them.

Cultural opening of the health service demanded
Schouler-Ocak called for a stronger cultural opening of health care and stressed that „Not only urgently more mother-tongue therapists, but above all, professionally trained interpreters for the clinics“ are required. Due to the lack of funding, they still manage today „forced with relatives or the bed neighbor, but that's not the same“ like a professional interpreter, explained Meryam Schouler-Ocak. The cost argument Schouler-Ocak did not apply, because not treated diseases would „chronic and then quite expensive.“ Incapacity for work and early retirement are already more common among migrants than the average of the population.

Migrants often suffer from mental health problems
Iris Calliess from the Hannover Medical School explained in her presentation „Social Psychiatric Aspects: Risk Factor Migration?“, Although there are no reliable figures on the mental illness of migrants, there are indications to this effect, „that women are more burdened overall.“ For example, it is known that young Turkish women kill twice as often as the average of their peers in Germany. Older Turkish women often suffer from so-called somatoform disorders, ie complaints such as abdominal pain or headaches that are not attributable to a physical cause, explained Calliess. The reason for the increased mental symptoms and an increased suicide rate among young men from Eastern Europe are, above all, severe addiction problems. Overall, according to the experts, people with a migrant background are about twice as likely to suffer from mental illness as the average population. There are 15.7 million people with a migration background in Germany „urgent need for development in the care of these groups, especially with regard to foreign-language and culturally sensitive therapy offers“, according to the DGPPN communication. (Fp)

Picture: Jerzy