Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries

Sima Sandhu; Neele V Bjerre; Marie Dauvrin; Sónia Dias; Andrea Gaddini; Tim Greacen; Elisabeth Ioannidis; Ulrike Kluge; Natasja Koitzsch Jensen; Majda Lamkaddem; Rosa puigpinos riera; Zsigmond Kósa; Ulla Wihlman; Mindaugas Stankunas; Christa Straßmayr; Kristian Wahlbeck; Marta Welbel; Stefan Priebe

doi:10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries

Sima Sandhu, Neele V Bjerre, Marie Dauvrin, Sónia Dias, Andrea Gaddini, Tim Greacen, Elisabeth Ioannidis, Ulrike Kluge, Natasja Koitzsch Jensen, Majda Lamkaddem, Rosa puigpinos riera, Zsigmond Kósa, Ulla Wihlman, Mindaugas Stankunas, Christa Straßmayr, Kristian Wahlbeck, Marta Welbel, Stefan Priebe

Section of Health Services Research

66 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals' experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe. METHODS: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries. Professionals in each country were recruited from three areas with the highest proportion of immigrants. For the purpose of this study, immigrants were defined as first-generation immigrants born outside the country of current residence, including regular immigrants, irregular immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews highlighted specific challenges to treating immigrants in mental health services across all 16 countries including complications with diagnosis, difficulty in developing trust and increased risk of marginalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Although mental health service delivery varies between and within European countries, consistent challenges exist in the experiences of mental health professionals delivering services in communities with high proportions of immigrants. Improvements to practice should include training in reaching appropriate diagnoses, a focus on building trusting relationships and measures to counter marginalisation.

Original language	English
Journal	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
ISSN	0933-7954
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3
Publication status	Published - Jan 2013

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Sandhu, S., Bjerre, N. V., Dauvrin, M., Dias, S., Gaddini, A., Greacen, T., Ioannidis, E., Kluge, U., Jensen, N. K., Lamkaddem, M., puigpinos riera, R., Kósa, Z., Wihlman, U., Stankunas, M., Straßmayr, C., Wahlbeck, K., Welbel, M., & Priebe, S. (2013). Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

Sandhu, S, Bjerre, NV, Dauvrin, M, Dias, S, Gaddini, A, Greacen, T, Ioannidis, E, Kluge, U, Jensen, NK, Lamkaddem, M, puigpinos riera, R, Kósa, Z, Wihlman, U, Stankunas, M, Straßmayr, C, Wahlbeck, K, Welbel, M & Priebe, S 2013, 'Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries', Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

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title = "Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries",

abstract = "PURPOSE: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals' experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe. METHODS: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries. Professionals in each country were recruited from three areas with the highest proportion of immigrants. For the purpose of this study, immigrants were defined as first-generation immigrants born outside the country of current residence, including regular immigrants, irregular immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews highlighted specific challenges to treating immigrants in mental health services across all 16 countries including complications with diagnosis, difficulty in developing trust and increased risk of marginalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Although mental health service delivery varies between and within European countries, consistent challenges exist in the experiences of mental health professionals delivering services in communities with high proportions of immigrants. Improvements to practice should include training in reaching appropriate diagnoses, a focus on building trusting relationships and measures to counter marginalisation.",

author = "Sima Sandhu and Bjerre, {Neele V} and Marie Dauvrin and S{\'o}nia Dias and Andrea Gaddini and Tim Greacen and Elisabeth Ioannidis and Ulrike Kluge and Jensen, {Natasja Koitzsch} and Majda Lamkaddem and {puigpinos riera}, Rosa and Zsigmond K{\'o}sa and Ulla Wihlman and Mindaugas Stankunas and Christa Stra{\ss}mayr and Kristian Wahlbeck and Marta Welbel and Stefan Priebe",

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doi = "10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3",

language = "English",

journal = "Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology",

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T1 - Experiences with treating immigrants

T2 - a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries

AU - Sandhu, Sima

AU - Bjerre, Neele V

AU - Dauvrin, Marie

AU - Dias, Sónia

AU - Gaddini, Andrea

AU - Greacen, Tim

AU - Ioannidis, Elisabeth

AU - Kluge, Ulrike

AU - Jensen, Natasja Koitzsch

AU - Lamkaddem, Majda

AU - puigpinos riera, Rosa

AU - Kósa, Zsigmond

AU - Wihlman, Ulla

AU - Stankunas, Mindaugas

AU - Straßmayr, Christa

AU - Wahlbeck, Kristian

AU - Welbel, Marta

AU - Priebe, Stefan

PY - 2013/1

Y1 - 2013/1

N2 - PURPOSE: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals' experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe. METHODS: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries. Professionals in each country were recruited from three areas with the highest proportion of immigrants. For the purpose of this study, immigrants were defined as first-generation immigrants born outside the country of current residence, including regular immigrants, irregular immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews highlighted specific challenges to treating immigrants in mental health services across all 16 countries including complications with diagnosis, difficulty in developing trust and increased risk of marginalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Although mental health service delivery varies between and within European countries, consistent challenges exist in the experiences of mental health professionals delivering services in communities with high proportions of immigrants. Improvements to practice should include training in reaching appropriate diagnoses, a focus on building trusting relationships and measures to counter marginalisation.

AB - PURPOSE: While there has been systematic research on the experiences of immigrant patients in mental health services within certain European countries, little research has explored the experiences of mental health professionals in the delivery of services to immigrants across Europe. This study sought to explore professionals' experiences of delivering care to immigrants in districts densely populated with immigrants across Europe. METHODS: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health care professionals working in 16 European countries. Professionals in each country were recruited from three areas with the highest proportion of immigrants. For the purpose of this study, immigrants were defined as first-generation immigrants born outside the country of current residence, including regular immigrants, irregular immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews highlighted specific challenges to treating immigrants in mental health services across all 16 countries including complications with diagnosis, difficulty in developing trust and increased risk of marginalisation. CONCLUSIONS: Although mental health service delivery varies between and within European countries, consistent challenges exist in the experiences of mental health professionals delivering services in communities with high proportions of immigrants. Improvements to practice should include training in reaching appropriate diagnoses, a focus on building trusting relationships and measures to counter marginalisation.

U2 - 10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

DO - 10.1007/s00127-012-0528-3

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22714866

SN - 0933-7954

JO - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

JF - Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

ER -

Experiences with treating immigrants: a qualitative study in mental health services across 16 European countries

Abstract

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