The Treated Prevalence of Mental Disorder Amongst Immigrants and the Australian-Born: Community and Primary-Care Rates

The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between birthplace and the treated prevalence of mental disorder in Australia. Treated prevalence rates were derived from two surveys. These were the 1989-1990 National Health Survey, carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of social psychiatry 1998-04, Vol.44 (1), p.22-34
Main Authors: Stuart, G.W., Klimidis, S., Minas, I.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Age Factors
Asia, Southeastern - ethnology
Australia
Australia - epidemiology
Biological and medical sciences
Birth place
Britons
Censuses
Community Mental Health Services - utilization
Crosscultural Differences
Demographics
Emigration and Immigration - statistics & numerical data
Ethnic groups
Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data
Ethnic minorities
Europe - ethnology
European Cultural Groups
Factors
Female
Greece - ethnology
Greeks
Health Surveys
Humans
Immigrants
Ireland - ethnology
Irish
Male
Medical sciences
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - epidemiology
Mental Disorders - therapy
Mental Illness
Miscellaneous
Physicians
Prevalence
Primary Health Care - utilization
Psychiatric disorders
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use
Sex Factors
Social psychiatry
Southeast Asian Cultural Groups
Southeast Asians
Treatment
United Kingdom - ethnology
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Summary:The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between birthplace and the treated prevalence of mental disorder in Australia. Treated prevalence rates were derived from two surveys. These were the 1989-1990 National Health Survey, carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the general practice component of a one-day mental health census carried out in the state of Victoria by the authors in 1993. Differences due to the age and sex composition of birthplace groups were controlled statistically. Treated rates of mental disorder, and the use of psychotropic medication, were consistently high amongst those born in Greece, and low amongst those born in the U.K./Ireland or in South East Asia, compared to the Australian-born. Country of birth has a significant effect on the treated prevalence of mental disorder, as reported by patients or their doctor. Further research is needed to reveal the underlying causes of these differences.
ISSN:0020-7640
1741-2854
DOI:10.1177/002076409804400103