Increased prevalence of psychotic disorders among third-generation migrants: results from the French Mental Health in General Population survey

Abstract

There is very strong evidence that the prevalence of psychosis is elevated in migrant populations and that this risk persists into the second generation. However, these results have not been replicated in France, and the prevalence of psychotic disorders in the third generation of migrants remains unknown. Based on the Mental Health in General Population survey (n=37063), we report for the first time the increased prevalence of psychotic disorders in migrants in France, which persists into the second generation for a single psychotic episode (SPE) (OR=1.43, 95% CI [1.02-2.03], p<0.03) and into the third generation for recurrent psychotic disorder (RPD) (OR=1.78, 95% CI [1.45-2.18], p<0.0001) after adjustment for age, sex, level of education and cannabis use. Complementary statistical analyses of our sample showed a significantly higher risk of SPE in migrants from the French West Indies and Africa (χ(2)=17.70, p<0.01). These results are consistent with the socio-developmental model and the psychosis continuum hypothesis.