Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries

• Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 2013, Vol.48 (1), p.105-116
• Main Authors: Sandhu, Sima, Bjerre, Neele V., Dauvrin, Marie, Dias, Sónia, Gaddini, Andrea, Greacen, Tim, Ioannidis, Elisabeth, Kluge, Ulrike, Jensen, Natasja K., Lamkaddem, Majda, Puigpinós i Riera, Rosa, Kósa, Zsigmond, Wihlman, Ulla, Stankunas, Mindaugas, Straßmayr, Christa, Wahlbeck, Kristian, Welbel, Marta, Priebe, Stefan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Communication Barriers; Cultural Competency; Culture; Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology; Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data; Epidemiology; Europe - epidemiology; Female; Health care industry; Health Personnel - psychology; Health staff related problems. Vocational training; Human smuggling; Humans; Immigrants; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Mental Disorders - ethnology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental Health Services - organization & administration; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Professional-Patient Relations; Psychiatric services; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Qualitative Research; Refugees - psychology; Refugees - statistics & numerical data; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Transients and Migrants - psychology; Transients and Migrants - statistics & numerical data; Trust
• ISSN: 0933-7954; 1433-9285
• DOI: 10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

Purpose While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals’ experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe. Methods Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries. Professionals in each country were recruited from three areas with the highest proportion of immigrants. For the purpose of this study, immigrants were defined as first-generation immigrants born outside the country of current residence, including regular immigrants, irregular immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results The interviews highlighted specific challenges to treating immigrants in mental health services across all 16 countries including complications with diagnosis, difficulty in developing trust and increased risk of marginalisation. Conclusions Although mental health service delivery varies between and within European countries, consistent challenges exist in the experiences of mental health professionals delivering services in communities with high proportions of immigrants. Improvements to practice should include training in reaching appropriate diagnoses, a focus on building trusting relationships and measures to counter marginalisation.