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REVIEW ARTICLES: SANNE G. H. A. SWINNEN and JEAN-PAUL SELTEN Mood disorders and migration: Meta-analysis The British Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 190: 6-10 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Mood disorders and migration

Azim Juma   (1 February 2007)

Mood disorders and migration 1 February 2007
Azim Juma, Family Physician University of Toronto Send letter to journal: Re: Mood disorders and migration azim.juma{at}utoronto.ca Azim Juma	I would like to share a different experience on this subject. In Canada, which has one of the highest rates of immigration from developing countries, I have been running a family practice for the past 10 years specializing in the care of new immigrants. In my experience new immigrants can be categorized into refugees, economic migrants, and family reunification migrants. I find that the depression rate is highest within the first group, i.e. refugees. Within the other two groups, I find that under-employment is a major risk factor for mood disorders, e.g. engineers working in call-centers, doctors working as taxi-drivers, and university professors working in factories and assembly lines. More research is needed in mood disorders among immigrants - and correlation with reason for immigration, socio-economic level (pre- and post-immigration), employment status, and co-morbidities.