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Minor psychiatric morbidity and internal migration in Brazil
E da S Coutinho1, N de Almeida Filho, J de J Mari
1Escola Nacional de Saude Publica-FIOCRUZ, Departamento de Epidemiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|June 1, 1996
Summary
Migration is not linked to minor psychiatric morbidity (MPM) overall. However, unemployed migrant women face a higher risk, suggesting labor market displacement may be a factor.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Migrant mental health research yields inconsistent findings on non-psychotic disorders.
- Understanding the link between migration and minor psychiatric morbidity (MPM) is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between migration and minor psychiatric morbidity (MPM) in Brazil.
- To explore factors influencing mental health outcomes in migrant populations.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 276 cases and 261 controls from a Brazilian survey (n=6740).
- Diagnoses of MPM were established using the DSM-III Symptom Checklist.
- Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate approaches, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables.
Main Results:
- Univariate analysis indicated a significantly increased risk of MPM in migrants (OR=1.76).
- After controlling for covariates, the overall increased risk of MPM in migrants disappeared (OR=1.02).
- A significant increase in MPM risk was observed specifically in unemployed migrant women.
Conclusions:
- Migration itself does not appear to be a direct risk factor for minor psychiatric morbidity.
- The findings challenge theories linking migration stress and cultural change to increased mental health risks.
- Labor market displacement and selection models offer a more plausible explanation for elevated MPM risk in specific migrant subgroups, particularly unemployed women.