Depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders in labor migrants, asylum seekers and refugees a systematic overview

Abstract

Background: In 2006 there were about 200 millions of transnational „voluntary” migrants like labor migrants and „involuntary migrants” like refugees and asylum seekers worldwide. Depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in general populations and is reported to be highly prevalent among migrants.

Aims: We aimed to assess and compare syndromes and symptoms of depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees; and to examine whether the prevalence rates are associated with study methods' and study quality.

Methods: We systematically searched in the databases MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies published from 1994 - 2007. Studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria are 1) systematically described: 2) and evaluated with 15 quality criteria.

Results: The literature search generated 348 results; and 37 fulfilled our inclusion criteria (35 populations) with n = 24 681 migrants (labor migrants: n = 16 971; refugees: n = 7710). Size of studies varies from a minimum of n = 55 participants to a maximum of n = 4558 participants (Median: n = 338). Prevalence rates for depression vary between 3 % and 47 % (labor migrants) and between 3 % and 81 % (refugees); for anxiety between 6 % and 44 % (labor migrants) and between 5 % and 90 % (refugees) and for PTSD between 4 % and 86 %. No study fullfilled all 15 quality criteria.

Conclusion and outlook: Migrants are a heterogeneous group and prevalence rates vary widely between studies. There is a need of high-quality representative studies on migrants' mental health to adequately plan health and social care.