BACKGROUND: Recent immigrants face various difficulties in adjusting to western countries and show a high prevalence of mental disorders. Access to a culturally appropriate community mental health centre (CMHC) is crucial for immigrants (Bhui et al., 2007). The Bologna West Transcultural Psychiatric Team (BoTPT, Tarricone et al., 2009) is one of the first projects in Italy that prioritizes cultural competence care. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this service and to describe what characteristics of patient and psychiatric intervention are related to 'drop-out'. METHOD: All migrants who consecutively attended the BoTPT between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2008 were included and evaluated at first contact and again six months later. RESULTS: After six months we followed up 162 patients; 32 (17.9%) of these had interrupted treatment. Non-Asian origin, a recent history of migration and not receiving social intervention were the strongest predictors of drop-out cases. CONCLUSION: Psychiatric consultation services to migrants could be made more effective by enhancing: (a) cultural competence, through cultural mediator involvement; and (b) social support from the first psychiatric contact. These two characteristics of psychiatric consultation could be developed from resources ordinarily present in the context of a CMHC and could then become a cost-effective strategy for addressing mental health needs among first-generation immigrants.
BACKGROUND: Recent immigrants face various difficulties in adjusting to western countries and show a high prevalence of mental disorders. Access to a culturally appropriate community mental health centre (CMHC) is crucial for immigrants (Bhui et al., 2007). The Bologna West Transcultural Psychiatric Team (BoTPT, Tarricone et al., 2009) is one of the first projects in Italy that prioritizes cultural competence care. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this service and to describe what characteristics of patient and psychiatric intervention are related to 'drop-out'. METHOD: All migrants who consecutively attended the BoTPT between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2008 were included and evaluated at first contact and again six months later. RESULTS: After six months we followed up 162 patients; 32 (17.9%) of these had interrupted treatment. Non-Asian origin, a recent history of migration and not receiving social intervention were the strongest predictors of drop-out cases. CONCLUSION:Psychiatric consultation services to migrants could be made more effective by enhancing: (a) cultural competence, through cultural mediator involvement; and (b) social support from the first psychiatric contact. These two characteristics of psychiatric consultation could be developed from resources ordinarily present in the context of a CMHC and could then become a cost-effective strategy for addressing mental health needs among first-generation immigrants.
Authors: P Rucci; A Piazza; E Perrone; I Tarricone; R Maisto; I Donegani; V Spigonardo; D Berardi; M P Fantini; A Fioritti Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2014-04-30 Impact factor: 6.892
Authors: Ilaria Tarricone; Giuseppe D'Andrea; Viviana Storbini; Mauro Braca; Silvia Ferrari; Corinna Reggianini; Marco Rigatelli; Carla Gramaglia; Patrizia Zeppegno; Eleonora Gambaro; Mario Luciano; Alessio Ceregato; Mario Altamura; Giuseppe Barrasso; Diego Primavera; Bernardo Carpiniello; Orlando Todarello; Vanna Berlincioni; Francesca Podavini; Craig Morgan; Robin M Murray; Marta Di Forti; Roberto Muratori; Domenico Berardi Journal: J Immigr Minor Health Date: 2021-03-10
Authors: Laura Carballeira Carrera; Sarah Lévesque-Daniel; Rahmeth Radjack; Marie Rose Moro; Jonathan Lachal Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2020-10-27 Impact factor: 4.157