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Mood disorders and migration: meta-analysis
Sanne G H A Swinnen1, Jean-Paul Selten
1Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Summary
Migration may increase the risk of mood disorders, including bipolar affective disorder. However, this risk is not consistently significant across all studies and populations, particularly after excluding specific ethnic groups.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Migration is a known risk factor for schizophrenia.
- The association between migration and mood disorders requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if migration is a risk factor for bipolar affective disorder.
- To determine if migration is a risk factor for unipolar depressive disorder.
- To examine the general risk of mood disorders associated with migration.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search of Medline was conducted for population-based incidence studies on mood disorders in migrants.
- A mixed-effects statistical model was used to compute mean relative risks.
- Studies focused on bipolar affective disorder, unipolar depressive disorder, and general mood disorders.
Main Results:
- A significantly increased risk of bipolar affective disorder was observed in migrants (RR 2.47).
- This increased risk for bipolar disorder diminished when individuals of African-Caribbean origin in the UK were excluded.
- A modest increased risk was found for mood disorders of unspecified polarity (RR 1.25) and any mood disorder (RR 1.38).
Conclusions:
- No conclusive evidence supports a large increase in mood disorder risk solely due to migration.
- The observed associations may be influenced by specific ethnic group factors or other unmeasured variables.
- Further research is needed to clarify the complex relationship between migration and mood disorders.
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