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The Mental Health of Peruvian Immigrants in Santiago, Chile


Type

Thesis

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Authors

Errazuriz Concha, Antonia 

Abstract

This dissertation presents results from the first quantitative population based study exploring prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMDs), psychotic symptoms and Hazardous Drinking (HD) and factors associated with each outcome in a large group of first generation economic ‘immigrants’ in Santiago, Chile (i.e. born in Peru) compared with a geographically matched sample of ‘non-immigrants’ (i.e. born in Chile). A total of 1,293 adult householders were assessed in a two-stage survey [Inner Santiago Health Study (ISHS)] using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Participants screening positive for psychosis were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). As a framework for comparison, this dissertation includes Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses of literature reporting prevalence of psychotic disorders, CMDs and Alcohol Use Disorders/HD in immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and in the general populations of Peru and LAC. Results reveal the magnitude of untreated mental health problems (i.e. CMDs, psychotic symptoms and HD) in the community, particularly CMDs among women and HD among men and the consistency of discrimination as a risk factor for CMDs and psychotic symptoms among ‘immigrants’. They also show a lower overall one-week estimated prevalence of any ICD-10 ‘any CMD’ and higher mental wellbeing among ‘immigrants’ compared with ‘non-immigrants’ and a similar estimated annual prevalence of ‘any psychotic symptom’ or HD between ‘non-immigrants’ and ‘immigrants’ despite higher exposure of ‘immigrants’ to socioeconomic disadvantage. Prevalence estimates for ICD-10 ‘major depression’ and ‘any anxiety disorder’ in ‘immigrants’ appeared higher than pooled prevalence estimates calculated for the Peruvian general population and prevalence estimates for ICD-10 ‘major depression’ and ‘any anxiety disorder’ in ‘non-immigrants’ higher than pooled prevalence estimates in the LAC general population. These findings provide evidence that first generation economic Peruvian immigrants to Chile are not at higher risk of mental health problems when compared with local population, providing direct policy implications for Chile and the LAC region.

Description

Date

Advisors

Keywords

depression, anxiety, immigrant mental health, common mental disorders

Qualification

PhD

Awarding Institution

University of Cambridge