title: [Mental health in adolescents in Germany: A comparison with regard to migration background and country of origin].
abstract: Many children and adolescents in Germany grow up in families with a migration background. Different cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds have an influence on their behavior in various ways. Health status can be affected both negatively and positively by a migration background. The aim of this study was to analyze associations between migration background and self-reported psychological problems. In addition, it was tested whether country of origin had a differential effect on the associations found. Because of its migration-specific approach, the baseline survey (2003-2006) of the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) offers a solid basis for migrant-specific analyses. Self-reported mental health problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which was completed by 6,719 adolescents aged 11-17 years. Adolescents with a two-sided migration background (i.e., both parents) reported higher SDQ total difficulties scores compared with adolescents without a migration background (16.9 vs 11.5%) or those with a one-sided migration background (16.9 vs 11.3%). Adolescents with a Turkish background had higher odds (boys: OR 2.0; 95%CI 1.3-3.2; girls: OR 2.0; 95%CI 1.2-3.4) of reporting mental health problems than adolescents without a migration background. Also, girls with a migration background from Western Europe, the USA or Canada had higher odds (OR 2.2; 95%CI 1.3-3.6). In some cases, adjusting for socioeconomic status led to insignificant associations with regard to the country of origin. The findings underline the importance of migrant-specific and culture-sensitive prevention, which also takes the environment and culture-specific characteristics into account.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsmonitoring, Robert Koch-Institut, General-Pape-Straße 62--66, 12101, Berlin, Deutschland, BrettschneiderA@rki.de.
authors.forename: Anna-Kristin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Brettschneider
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hölling
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schlack
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ellert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*