[Psychosocial problems and mental disorders among immigrants of German origin].
OBJECTIVE
The number of ethnic German immigrants from former East bloc countries (Aussiedler) has considerably increased during the past 20 years. However, studies on the frequency of psychiatric disorders or on psychosocial risk factors for psychiatric morbidity in this partially inhomogenous population group are remarkably rare.


METHODS
We undertook a comprehensive research of the current literature to gain the first systematic review on this issue.


RESULTS
The most frequent mental disorders among these special group of migrants were depressive disorders, adjustment disorders with brief depressive reactions as well as somatoform disorders, alcoholism and drug dependency.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnic German immigrants are a risk group for mental disorders.
Kornischka
Jürgen
J
Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik am Klinikum Herford, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover. juergen.kornischka@klinikum-herford.de
Assion
Hans-Jörg
HJ
Ziegenbein
Marc
M
Agelink
Marcus W
MW
D000069:Acculturation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012940:Social Problems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology