Abstract

BackgroundStudies show that migrant women are at greater risk of common mental disorders than the majority population, yet underrepresented in healthcare services. This study investigates the use of outpatient mental healthcare services over a five-year period among migrant and descendant women compared to majority women in Norway.MethodsUsing linked national registry data, we selected all women resident in Norway between 2009 and 2013 (N = 1,834,822). We conducted generalised estimated equations with logistic regression to assess if the odds of using outpatient mental healthcare services differed for migrant and descendant women compared to majority women. We also conducted generalised estimated equations with negative binomial regression to calculate consultation incidence rate ratios for migrant and descendant women relative to majority women among those with a common mental disorder.ResultsBoth migrant and descendant women had lower odds (OR = 0.47 and OR = 0.60 respectively) of using outpatient mental healthcare services than majority women. Odds of using services increased with length of residency. We also found significant variation by country of origin. Among women with common mental disorders who had used services, migrants, but not descendants, had a lower consultation rate ratio than majority women. Analyses by region of origin revealed that this did not apply to women from EU European countries, North America and Australia and New Zealand.ConclusionWomen with migrant background are, overall, underrepresented in OPMH services. Findings indicate that migrant women may not only experience barriers to seeking and accessing care but also in maintaining access to care. This may especially be the case for newly arrived migrant women and women from non-Western countries. Treatment may not be culturally adapted for these groups. Closer investigation of the barriers migrant women experience after using OPMH services is required.

Highlights

  • Studies show that migrant women are at greater risk of common mental disorders than the majority population, yet underrepresented in healthcare services

  • We aim to look at the use of outpatient mental healthcare (OPMH) services among all women living in Norway between 2009 and 2013

  • For migrants only we considered length of residency, and region of origin: 1) the Nordics, 2) Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, 3) European Union (EU) Eastern Europe, 4) non-EU Eastern Europe, 5) Middle East/ North Africa, 6) subSaharan Africa, 7) South Asia and 8) East/South East Asia

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Studies show that migrant women are at greater risk of common mental disorders than the majority population, yet underrepresented in healthcare services. Studies suggest that migrants are at greater risk of common mental disorders such as mood disorders and neurotic and stress-related disorders (including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder) than the majority population [2,3,4]. This increased risk may apply to descendants of migrants [5, 6]. This paper investigates outpatient mental healthcare service utilisation in Norway among both migrant (foreign-born with foreign born parents) and descendent (Norwegian born with foreign born parents) women compared to majority women

Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call