Turkish Migrant Women with Recurrent Depression: Results from Community-based Self-help Groups

Reducing loneliness among migrant and ethnic minority people: a participatory evidence synthesis

Background

To date, there has been little research into the causes of, and solutions to, loneliness among migrant and ethnic minority people.

Objectives

The objectives were to synthesise available evidence and produce new insights relating to initiatives that aim to address loneliness among these populations, plus the logic, functioning and effects of such initiatives.

Data sources

Electronic database searches (MEDLINE, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts and Social Science Citation Index via Web of Science – no date restrictions were applied), grey literature searches, and citation and reference searching were conducted. Data were generated via nine workshops with three consultation panels involving 34 public contributors, and one practitioner workshop involving 50 participants.

Review methods

Guided by ‘systems thinking’, a theory-driven synthesis was combined with an effectiveness review to integrate evidence on the nature and causes of loneliness, interventional types and programme theory, and intervention implementation and effectiveness.

Results

The theory review indicated that common conceptualisations of ‘loneliness’ can be usefully extended to recognise four proximate determinants when focusing on migrant and ethnic minority populations: positive social ties and interactions, negative social ties and interactions, self-worth, and appraisal of existing ties. A total of 170 interventions were included. A typology of eight interventions was developed. Detailed logic models were developed for three common types of intervention: befriending, shared-identity social support groups and intercultural encounters. The models for the first two types were generally well supported by empirical data; the third was more tentative. Evaluation of intervention processes and outcomes was limited by study content and quality. Evidence from 19 qualitative and six quantitative studies suggested that social support groups have a positive impact on dimensions of loneliness for participants. Evidence from nine qualitative and three quantitative studies suggested that befriending can have positive impacts on loneliness. However, inconsistent achievements of the befriending model meant that some initiatives were ineffective. Few studies on intercultural encounters reported relevant outcomes, although four provided some qualitative evidence and three provided quantitative evidence of improvement. Looking across intervention types, evidence suggests that initiatives targeting the proximate determinants – particularly boosting self-worth – are more effective than those that do not. No evidence was available on the long-term effects of any initiatives. UK intervention (n = 41) and non-intervention (n = 65) studies, together with consultation panel workshop data, contributed to a narrative synthesis of system processes. Interlocking factors operating at individual, family, community, organisational and wider societal levels increase risk of loneliness, and undermine access to, and the impact of, interventions. Racism operates in various ways throughout the system to increase risk of loneliness.

Limitations

There was a lack of high-quality quantitative studies, and there were no studies with longer-term follow-up. UK evidence was very limited. Studies addressing upstream determinants operating at the community and societal levels did not link through to individual outcome measures. Some elements of the search approach may mean that relevant literature was overlooked.

Conclusions

Theory regarding the causes of loneliness, and functioning of interventions, among migrant and ethnic minority populations was usefully developed. Evidence of positive impact on loneliness was strongest for shared-identity social support groups. Quantitative evidence was inadequate. The UK evidence base was extremely limited.

Future work

UK research in this area is desperately needed. Co-production of interventional approaches with migrant and ethnic minority people and evaluation of existing community-based initiatives are priorities.

Study registration

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017077378.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 8, No. 10. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Symptom manifestation and treatment effectiveness, -obstacles and -facilitators in Turkish and Moroccan groups with depression in European countries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

This study examined the state of the art relevant for clinical practice on symptom manifestation of depression or depression-related idioms of distress, the treatment effectiveness and obstacles and facilitators for therapeutic success in Turkish and Moroccan immigrant populations with depression in Europe.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search in PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane databases (1970- 31 July 2017). Peer-reviewed studies, with adult populations, and an instrument assessing depressive symptoms met inclusion criteria and were evaluated following quality guidelines.

RESULTS

We included 13 studies on symptom manifestation, 6 on treatment effectiveness, and 17 on obstacles and facilitators, published between 2000 and 2017, from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden (n Turkish individuals = 11,533; n Moroccan individuals = 5278; n native individuals = 303,212). Both ethnic groups more often reported combined mood and somatic symptoms (and anxiety in the case of Turkish groups) than natives, and had higher levels of symptoms. There was no report on effectiveness of pharmacotherapy and there was weak evidence of the effectiveness of examined psychological treatments for depression in Turkish groups. No treatment has been examined in Moroccan groups. Salient obstacles to therapeutic success were socioeconomic problems, higher level of psychological symptoms at baseline, and negative attitudes towards psychotherapy. Possible facilitators were interventions attuned to social, cultural and individual needs. Results were most representative of first generation, low SES Turkish immigrant patients, and Moroccan-Dutch members of the general populations.

CONCLUSION

Turkish and Moroccan immigrants with depression presented a comorbid symptom profile with more intertwined depressive and somatic complaints. There were indications that the available therapies are insufficient for Turkish groups, but the current evidence is scarce and heterogeneous, and RCTs suffer from methodological limitations.

What are the barriers to access to mental healthcare and the primary needs of asylum seekers? A survey of mental health caregivers and primary care workers

BACKGROUND

We aimed to assess the opinion of primary care workers, social workers, translators and mental health caregivers who work with asylum seekers about the latter's unmet needs and barriers to access to mental healthcare.

METHODS

We used a Likert scale to assess the opinion of 135 primary care workers (general practitioners, nurses, social workers and translators) and mental health caregivers about the proportion of asylum seekers with psychiatric disorders, their priority needs and their main barriers to mental health services.

RESULTS

Insufficient access to adequate financial resources, poor housing and security conditions, access to employment, professional training and legal aid were considered as priority needs, as were access to dental and mental healthcare. The main barriers to access to mental healthcare for asylum seekers included a negative representation of psychiatry, fear of being stigmatized by their own community and poor information about existing psychiatric services.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a good correlation between the needs reported by healthcare providers and those expressed by the asylum-seeking population in different studies. We discuss the need for greater mobility and accessibility to psychiatric services among this population.