The challenge of diagnosing cultural syndromes: A narrative review

In 2022 the total world migrant population was 281 million (an increase of approximately 62% compared to year 2000), of whom 169 million were migrant workers. The number of refugees, asylum seekers and others in need of international protection increased by 22% compared to 2021. Research has shown that the forcibly displaced have high rates of mental disorders (including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety), with an estimated prevalence almost 6 to 7 times higher than the general population. Given the increase of the overall migration phenomenon and the challenge raised by the cultural features concerning mental health, we consider that this is an area that requires close attention to ensure that culturally sensitive health services be available to the migrant and displaced population.

The aim of this narrative review is to provide a background to the issue and take stock of what is currently available in the literature regarding culture-bound illnesses and the relevant diagnostic tools.

A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Psychinfo, Embase, Google Scholar, organized in stages to assure inclusion of all the relevant studies. Of the 703 papers initially identified, only 30 papers finally satisfied the inclusion criteria.

Eleven diagnostic scales were found, only two of which are being used for displaced people.

Further work is required in this field, including a debate as to whether scales are indeed an appropriate tool for use with this population.