title: The ethnic gap in mental health: A population-based study of Russian, Somali and Kurdish origin migrants in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research demonstrates that migrants are more vulnerable to poor mental health than general populations, but population-based studies with distinct migrant groups are scarce. We aim to (1) assess the prevalence of mental health symptoms in Russian, Somali and Kurdish origin migrants in Finland; (2) compare the prevalence of mental health symptoms in these migrant groups to the Finnish population; (3) determine which socio-demographic factors are associated with mental health symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Finnish Migrant Health and Wellbeing Study and Health 2011 Survey. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25), and 1.75 was used as cut-off for clinically significant symptoms. Somatization was measured using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) somatization scale. The age-adjusted prevalence of mental health symptoms in the studied groups was calculated by gender using predicted margins. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine which socio-demographic factors are associated with mental health symptoms in the studied population groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was higher in Russian women (24%) and Kurdish men (23%) and women (49%) than in the Finnish population (9-10%). These differences were statistically significant (p<.001). Socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g. unemployment and poor economic situation) and migration-related factors (e.g. poor language proficiency and short time since migration) significantly increased the odds for depressive and anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health symptoms are highly prevalent particularly in Kurdish migrants in Finland. Holistic interventions and co-operation between integration and mental health services are acutely needed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland shadia.rask@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Shadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rask
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suvisaari
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivikki
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koponen
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Mulki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mölsä
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Riikka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lehtisalo
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakaslahti
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Anu Emilia
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Castaneda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000208:ethnology; D007493:Iraq / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012426:Russia / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Migrants; anxiety; depression; immigrant population-based study; mental health; somatization