Measuring acculturation and symptoms of depression of foreign immigrants in the Athens area

Depressive complaints and utilization of mental health services: Comparison of adult cancer survivors of different ethnic origin

OBJECTIVE

To investigate depressive symptoms and mental health care utilization in adult cancer survivors (CS) of different ethnic origin.

METHODS

Mental health care utilization in dependence of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9 ≥ 10) was analyzed in native German CS (GE) and in CS with Turkish (TR) or Polish (PL) migration background, recruited by a cancer registry. Frequencies and odds ratios (OR) were calculated.

RESULTS

135 native German and 50 CS belonging to the first migration generation (TR: n = 25 and PL: n = 25) participated. TR showed the highest rate of depression (36.0%), followed by PL (32.0%), while GE revealed the lowest frequency (20.9%). The frequency of the utilization of mental health services was 17.4% (TR), 4.5% (PL) and 8.1% (GE). After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables, no significant differences between the migrants and German CS were detected for the risk of being depressed, however a tendency for an increased risk in the migrant group was observed (OR = 2.53, CI = 0.96-6.65, p = .061). Female gender (OR = 3.88, CI = 1.29-11.68, p = .016) and prior psychological/psychiatric treatment (OR = 4.35, CI = 1.86-10.18, p = .001) were significantly associated with a higher risk of being depressed.

CONCLUSION

Contrastingly to numerous surveys, our results indicate no substantial differences between migrants and native CS, when adjusted for important confounders. High levels of migrants´ acculturation (good language proficiency, German citizenship/unlimited residence permit, long duration of stay in Germany) may contribute to eliminate inequalities caused by migration status in depressive symptomatology and mental health care utilization in CS.

A study of acculturation in psychotic and non-psychotic immigrants living in Athens

BACKGROUND

Acculturation is the phenomenon that results when a group with one culture comes into continuous contact with a host culture.

AIMS

To investigate the correlation between acculturation and psychotic symptomatology in a group of immigrants suffering from psychosis and to explore differences in demographic factors related with the acculturation process between individuals with and without psychosis.

METHODS

Sixty-five patients and 317 non-psychotic immigrants were interviewed using the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and a structured questionnaire for demographic data. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) were also administered to all immigrants suffering from psychosis.

RESULTS

Total IAS scores, as well as IAS everyday life scores, were positively correlated with GAF scores. IAS everyday life score in the patient group related with religion, marital status, gender and years in Greece, while in the non-psychosis group it was related with gender and years in Greece. IAS wishful orientation/nostos (the strong desire for one's homeland) related with religion in both groups. The IAS identity in the psychosis group did not show any significant relation with any of the variables, while in the non-patient group, it was related with marital status, gender and years in Greece. Age, duration of residence in Greece and higher adoption of Greek ethnic identity were the variables that differentiated the two groups of immigrants.

CONCLUSION

Acculturation in immigrants suffering from psychosis could be seen as a process that does not correlate strongly with the severity of the symptomatology but is probably influenced by different set of factors.

The relationship between acculturation factors and symptoms of depression: a cross-sectional study with immigrants living in Athens

The process of acculturation observed in immigrants is part of an adjustment to the values and norms of a new society, and possibly the loss of norms of the society of origin. Acculturation has been linked to stress-related psychological disorders such as depression. The present study investigates the relationship between three acculturation domains (everyday life behaviors, wishful orientation/nostos, and ethnic identity) and symptoms of depression in a sample of foreign immigrants living in Athens, Greece. The sample consisted of 317 immigrants who visited two non-governmental organization polyclinics. All participants were interviewed using the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The results showed that 133 (42%) out of the 317 interviewees were in a depressive state (CES-D > 15). The main finding was that high CES-D scores were related to low scores in the IAS Everyday Life and Wishful Orientation factors, while no relationship was found between depressive symptomatology and the IAS Identity factor. Short duration of stay in Greece, lack of steady job, and lack of residence permit were also related to high CES-D scores. In conclusion, adaptation to mainstream culture daily behaviors as well as the wish to integrate with individuals from the mainstream culture and settle permanently in the new country could be seen as part of an adaptive mechanism that protects the individual from experiencing depressive symptomatology.