[Depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders in labor migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. A systematic overview].
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.


OBJECTIVE
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 fulfilled all 15 quality criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Lindert
Jutta
J
Evangelische Fachhochschule Ludwigsburg, Abteilung für Public Health, Auf der Karlshöhe 2, 76138 Ludwigsburg. j.lindert@efh-ludwigsburg.de
Brähler
Elmar
E
Wittig
Ulla
U
Mielck
Andreas
A
Priebe
Stefan
S
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015982:Bias; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data