title: Psychotic symptoms and general health in a socially disadvantaged migrant community in Bologna.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Social exclusion and reduced access to community health services can lead to urgent health problems among immigrants; this may explain their increasing rate of admittance to psychiatric inpatient units. This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the prevalence of psychotic symptoms among Romanian immigrants living in very poor conditions at an abandoned hotel in Bologna and to highlight the possible correlation with general health status, distress and socio-demographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ) and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) were administered to all immigrants residing at the hotel during two index days with the help of a cultural mediator. Socio-demographic, migration and health characteristics were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty eight subjects were evaluated. More than 80% had left Romania for economic reasons. Of immigrants, 57% exceeded the four-point GHQ-12 threshold of potential mental disorder and 19% scored positively at the PSQ. Immigrants with positive PSQ showed higher mean GHQ-12 scores (5.9 +/- 3.5 vs. 3.8 +/- 2.75; p = 0.02). The development of post-migration health problems significantly predicts positive PSQ cases even after adjusting for age, sex and GHQ-12 dichotomized score (OR = 21.2, CI = 1.1-169.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This community of immigrants living in deprived conditions showed a high prevalence of distress and psychotic symptoms, related to health problems. Preventing excess of psychosis among immigrants and ethnic minorities in critical socio-economic conditions should mean, first and foremost, facilitating social integration and access to primary care.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Ilaria.tarricone@unibo.it
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tarricone
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Atti
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braca
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malmusi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berardi
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires