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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Sep;64(9):595-606.
doi: 10.1177/0706743719839313. Epub 2019 May 26.

Gaps in Understanding of the Epidemiology of Mood and Anxiety Disorders among Migrant Groups in Canada: A Systematic Review

Jordan Edwards  1   2 , Malini Hu  1 , Amardeep Thind  1   3   4 , Saverio Stranges  1   4   5 , Maria Chiu  6 , Kelly K Anderson  1   2   7
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Gaps in Understanding of the Epidemiology of Mood and Anxiety Disorders among Migrant Groups in Canada: A Systematic Review

Jordan Edwards et al. Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: Estimates of mood and anxiety disorders are highly variable among migrant groups, as they are influenced by the socio-political context. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize available Canadian evidence on the prevalence and incidence of mood and anxiety disorders among migrant groups.

Methods: Studies were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. They were included if they used population-based samples, presented data on the incidence or prevalence of diagnosed or self-reported mood or anxiety disorders for first-generation migrant groups in Canada, and used a Canadian-born or long-term resident reference group.

Results: Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Prevalence ratios ranged from 0.48 to 0.87, and nearly all estimates were obtained from population health surveys. Prevalence estimates among migrant groups were lower than the reference group, with the 90th percentile of estimates ranging from 1.5% to 8.2%. Risk factors for mood and anxiety disorders among migrants included being female, younger, unemployed, having lower income, and living in neighborhoods with a lower proportion of migrants.

Conclusions: There remain many gaps in our current understanding of mood and anxiety disorders among migrant groups in Canada. Although evidence suggests the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders are consistently lower among migrant groups, a lack of incidence estimates limits the strength of this conclusion. Future research should focus on comparisons of self-reported and diagnosed estimates, the use of a range of different primary or secondary data sources, and consideration of important risk factors.

Prospero citation: Jordan Edwards, Malini Hu, Amardeep Thind, Saverio Stranges, Maria Chiu, Kelly Anderson. The burden of mood and anxiety disorders among immigrant and refugee populations in Canada: a systematic review. PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018087869 Available from: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42018087869 .

Objectif:: Les estimations des troubles anxieux et de l’humeur sont très variables chez les groupes de migrants, car elles sont influencées par le contexte socio-politique. Notre objectif était de mener une revue systématique et une méta-analyse afin de faire la synthèse des données probantes canadiennes disponibles sur la prévalence et l’incidence des troubles anxieux et de l’humeur chez les groupes de migrants.

Méthodes:: Des études ont été repérées dans MEDLINE, EMBASE, et PsycINFO. Elles ont été incluses si elles utilisaient des échantillons dans la population, si elles présentaient des données sur l’incidence ou la prévalence des troubles anxieux ou de l’humeur diagnostiqués ou auto-déclarés pour la première génération des groupes de migrants au Canada, et si elles utilisaient un groupe de comparaison de résidents natifs ou de longue durée du Canada.

Résultats:: Dix-neuf études satisfaisaient à nos critères d’inclusion. Les rapports de prévalence allaient de 0,48 à 0,87, et presque toutes les estimations ont été obtenues d’enquêtes sur la santé de la population. Les estimations de la prévalence chez les groupes de migrants étaient plus faibles que celles du groupe de comparaison, et le 90e percentile des estimations oscillait entre 1,5% et 8,2%. Les facteurs de risque des troubles anxieux et de l’humeur chez les migrants étaient notamment être de sexe féminin, plus jeune, sans emploi, avoir un faible revenu, et habiter des quartiers où la proportion de migrants est faible.

Conclusions:: De nombreuses lacunes demeurent dans notre compréhension actuelle des troubles anxieux et de l’humeur chez les groupes de migrants du Canada. Bien que les données probantes suggèrent que la prévalence des troubles anxieux et de l’humeur soit régulièrement plus faible chez les groupes de migrants, le manque d’estimations de l’incidence limite la valeur de cette conclusion. La future recherche devrait porter sur les comparaisons entre les estimations diagnostiquées et auto-déclarées, le recours à une série de différentes sources de données primaires ou secondaires, et l’examen d’importants facteurs de risque.

Keywords: anxiety disorders; canada; emigrants and immigrants; mood disorders; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow chart of the search strategy and exclusion process of the systematic review evaluating mood and anxiety disorders among migrant groups in Canada.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Prevalence ratios of mood and anxiety disorders among migrant groups, and Canadian-born/long-term resident comparison groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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