title: Rates of mental illness and suicidality in immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural, and racialized groups in Canada: a review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies from around the world point to differences in the rates of mental illnesses between immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural, and racialized (IRER) groups and host populations. Risk of illness depends on social contexts; therefore, to offer the best information for people aiming to develop and offer equitable services, local information on rates of mental illness in different population groups is required.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a literature review of peer-reviewed journals and the grey literature between 1990 and 2009 using standard techniques and identified primary research reporting the rates of mental illness and suicidality in IRER groups in Canada.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 229 papers we reviewed, 17 were included. Most papers reported rates for depression. There was no clear pattern, with different IRER groups and different age groups reporting either elevated or lower rates, compared with white Canadians. Refugee youth in Quebec have higher rates of numerous mental health problems and illnesses. When immigrant groups were considered as a whole, suicide rates were low but different national origin groups reported different trajectories in rates across the generations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The literature on rates of mental illness and suicidality in IRER groups in Canada is diverse and not comprehensive. In addition, most research has been conducted in 3 provinces and, in particular, 3 major cities. The rates of mental illness seem to vary by national origin groups, age, and status in Canada. There is very little research on nonimmigrant, culturally diverse populations in Canada. This lack of information may undermine efforts to develop equitable mental health services for all Canadians.
authors.affiliation: Health Systems and Health Services Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuck
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lurie
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKenzie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*