L’importance de la recherche épidémiologique psychiatrique sur les populations migrantes en France

Abstract

The association between migration status, ethnic minority position and mental disorders is well established in many European countries. In France, although near 25% of the population is a first or second-generation migrant, epidemiological studies on their mental health are scarce. One reason for this is the lack of ethnic statistics in the French census, which contributes to the invisibility of immigrants’ descendants in quantitative investigation. Nevertheless, recent studies have been showing evidence of higher incidence and prevalence rates of mental illness, especially of psychosis, in this population (including internal migrants from the French overseas departments). Besides, psychosocial factors of vulnerability of mental illness in the French society are observed among migrant groups and their decedents. They experience more inequities in health and living conditions, social trajectories and access to resources than non-migrants. They also report day-to-day experience of discrimination interactions and experience of racism (related to skin color and origin). Therefore, more studies are needed to better know to what extent migration and ethnicity are associated to mental disorders in France and to better identify the correlates and the ethnic groups at higher risk in the French context.