Determinants of increased risk of schizophrenia in immigrants. What could be done by our western governments?

Abstract

Some categories of immigrants run an increased risk of suffering from schizophrenia Such vulnerability might be determined by virus infections, diabetes mellitus and obesity during pregnancy, racism, socio-economic disadvantage, a lack of social support/network, stressful events and alienating environments, culture shock (as in the cases of immigrants and refugees), technological dominance, lack of coping skills (wrong coping strategies), social-emotional adjustment and acculturation problems. The governments and mental health services of our civilized countries should prepare prevention and intervention programs that are geared to deal with the correlates and causes of schizophrenia in immigrants.