First admissions for mood disorders in immigrants to the Netherlands.
BACKGROUND
The risk of developing schizophrenia is increased for immigrants to the Netherlands from Surinam, the Netherlands Antilles and Morocco, but not for immigrants from Turkey. We examined, in these groups, the risks of a first admission for manic-depressive psychosis.


METHODS
The Dutch Psychiatric Registry provided two datasets. The first referred to first admissions for manic-depressive psychosis (MDP), manic or circular type, in the period 1990-1996, the second to first admissions for MDP, depressed type. MDP, depressed type, corresponds (broadly) to the DSM-IV category of major depressive disorder and MDP, manic or circular type, to the DSM-IV category of bipolar I disorder. The Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics provided yearly population figures.


RESULTS
There were only small increases in the risks of a first admission for MDP, manic or circular type, for immigrants from Surinam (age- and sex-adjusted RR = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.97-1.33) and the Netherlands Antilles (RR = 1.41; 1.10-1.80). This risk was not clearly increased for immigrants from Morocco. The risks for MDP, depressed type, were increased for males from Morocco (age-adjusted RR = 2.17; 1.72-2.72) and Turkey (RR = 1.83; 1.46-2.30), and significantly decreased for females in all of the immigrant groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence for a large increase in the incidence of MDP, manic or circular type, in the immigrant groups, whereas an increase in MDP, depressed type, was observed only in selected groups. Female immigrants suffering from MDP, depressed type, may be underserved.
Selten
J P
JP
Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, University Hospital, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.p.selten@psych.azu.nl
van Os
J
J
Nolen
W A
WA
D000328:Adult; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors