Increased prevalence of anxiety disorders in third-generation migrants in comparison to natives and to first-generation migrants

• Published in: Journal of psychiatric research Vol. 102; pp. 38 - 43
• Main Authors: Pignon, Baptiste, Amad, Ali, Pelissolo, Antoine, Fovet, Thomas, Thomas, Pierre, Vaiva, Guillaume, Roelandt, Jean-Luc, Benradia, Imane, Rolland, Benjamin, Geoffroy, Pierre A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2018; Elsevier
• Series: Journal of Psychiatric Research
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anxiety disorders; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - ethnology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Cognitive science; Comorbidity; Family Characteristics - ethnology; Female; France; Generalized anxiety disorder; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Mental Disorders - epidemiology; Mental Disorders - ethnology; Middle Aged; Migrants; Panic disorder; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Social anxiety disorder; Transients and Migrants - psychology; France; Social anxiety disorder; Migrants; Generalized anxiety disorder; Anxiety disorders; Panic disorder; Post-traumatic stress disorder
• ISSN: 0022-3956; 1879-1379
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.03.007

We sought to examine the prevalence of anxiety disorders associated with migration in the first-, second- and third-generation. The French Mental Health in the General Population cross-sectional survey interviewed 38,694 individuals using the MINI. The prevalence of lifetime anxiety disorders, and comorbidities was compared between migrants and non-migrants and by generation. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and income and education levels. In comparison to natives, pooled anxiety disorders were more common among migrants (25.3% vs. 20.7%, OR = 1.24) and among the three studied generations of migrants. Moreover, the prevalence rate of the pooled anxiety disorders was significantly higher in third-generation migrants, in comparison to first-generation (26.7% vs. 22.6%, OR = 1.14). Prevalence rates were higher in migrants for panic disorder (6.6% vs. 5.3%, OR = 1.20), general anxiety disorder (15.0% vs. 12.0%, OR = 1.24), posttraumatic stress disorder (1.0% vs. 0.6%, OR = 1.51), but not for social anxiety disorder. In comparison to natives, migrants with anxiety disorders had higher prevalence rates of suicide attempts (14.0% vs. 12.8% for natives), psychotic disorders (8.3% vs. 5.7%), unipolar depressive disorder (29.5% vs. 25.4%), bipolar disorder (5.0% vs. 4.0%), and addictive disorders (9.6% vs. 6.2% for alcohol use disorder, 8.2% vs. 4.1% for substance use disorders). Migration was associated with a higher prevalence of all anxiety disorders, in the first, second and third generation, and associated with more psychiatric comorbidities. Moreover, the prevalence increased across generations, and was significantly higher among third-generation migrants, in comparison to first-generation. •Migrants in the three considered generations displayed higher prevalence rates of anxiety disorders than natives.•The prevalence of anxiety disorders increased from the first to the third-generation migrants.•Migrants with anxiety disorders displayed more psychiatric comorbidities than natives.