Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the potential differences between Albanian migrants and Greeks in the islands of Paros and Antiparos with regard to seeking help from the local public mental health service, namely the Mobile Mental Health Unit of NE Cyclades Islands (EPAPSY-NGO). The study’s instruments include the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and a questionnaire for recording psychosocial profile data and information concerning contact with the services. The results showed that significantly less Albanian migrants contacted the mental health services in the past in comparison to Greeks. When using the service, the Albanians were more likely to see a psychiatrist in the Unit, rather than a psychologist-psychotherapist, and they more often received prescriptions for medication. There was a significantly higher dropout rate among Albanian migrants. This study highlights the different aspects of access and use of mental health services among Albanian migrants compared with native residents. Further research should focus on the factors related to early dropouts and difficulties accessing mental health services in rural areas, in order to develop more focused and effective interventions and improve the quality of care provided.
Highlights
Since 1990, Greece has been receiving a mass inflow of migrants and refugees, coming from Europe, other Mediterranean countries, Asia, and Africa
A significant percentage of migrants in Greece is of Albanian origin [1,2,3], living in urban but in rural areas too, such as the Cyclades Islands, where they are employed in construction and tourism sector [1]
The use of health care services by migrants has been the subject of various studies, while special emphasis has been given to non-urban areas due to the greater difficulties of access [4,5]
Summary
Since 1990, Greece has been receiving a mass inflow of migrants and refugees, coming from Europe, other Mediterranean countries, Asia, and Africa. The use of health care services by migrants has been the subject of various studies, while special emphasis has been given to non-urban areas due to the greater difficulties of access (limited number of services available in rural areas and/or difficulty of travelling to services in urban areas due to geographical distance) [4,5]. Most studies conducted in Europe and America regarding the access and use of health services by migrants highlight the inequality and complexity of the difficulties faced by foreigners in obtaining appropriate treatment and care [6,7,8,9,10]. Recent evidence shows unmet health care needs for migrants, especially in the area of mental health, emphasizing the role of legal, communication and language barriers, as well as the role of discrimination [11,12]
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