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The Association of Immigrant- and Non-Immigrant-Specific Factors With Mental Ill Health Among Immigrants in Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Petter Tinghög

    (Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, petter.tinghog@ihs.liu.se)

  • Suad Al-Saffar

    (Section of Psychiatry, Neurotec Institution, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm Centre for Public Health, Stockholm, Sweden)

  • John Carstensen

    (Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden)

  • Lennart Nordenfelt

    (Department of Health and Society, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden)

Abstract

Background: It has often been shown that immigrants are particularly at risk for mental ill health. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of immigrant- and non-immigrant-specific factors with mental ill health within a diverse immigrant population. Method: An extensive questionnaire was sent out to a stratified random sample of three immigrant populations from Finland, Iraq and Iran. The 720 respondents completed a Swedish, Arabic or Farsi (Persian) version of the questionnaire including the WHO (10) Well-Being Index and the HSCL-25. Results: The results indicate that mental ill health among immigrants is independently associated with non-immigrant-specific factors (i.e. high number of types of traumatic episodes, divorced/widowed, poor social network, economic insecurity and being female) and immigrant-specific factors (i.e. low level of sociocultural adaptation). These results were obtained regardless of whether mental ill health was operationalized as low subjective well-being or a high symptom level of anxiety/depression. Conclusions: These fi ndings support the notion that mental ill health among immigrants is a multi-faceted phenomenon that needs to be tackled within a wide range of sectors — e.g. the healthcare system, the social service sector and, of course, the political arena.

Suggested Citation

  • Petter Tinghög & Suad Al-Saffar & John Carstensen & Lennart Nordenfelt, 2010. "The Association of Immigrant- and Non-Immigrant-Specific Factors With Mental Ill Health Among Immigrants in Sweden," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 56(1), pages 74-93, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:56:y:2010:i:1:p:74-93
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764008096163
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    References listed on IDEAS

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