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Incidence in migrants

What is incidence of schizophrenia in migrant groups?

Incidence refers to how many new cases of schizophrenia there are per population in a specified time period. It is different from prevalence, which refers to how many existing cases there are at a particular point in time, or over a lifetime. Incidence is usually reported as the number of new cases per 100,000 people per year, but this can vary. Differences in the incidence of a disorder can provide clues to its possible causes. For example, a population register with information gained from consensus data helps to identify all adults in a defined area who were born within a certain time period (a cohort). Cross linking this information with a mental health register for the cohort can be used to identify people who received treatment for schizophrenia over particular times. This information provides the incidence of schizophrenia for various age groups within that cohort.

The term “migrant” usually refers to first generation migrants – people with a foreign birth place, however some studies also include locally born offspring, or second generation migrants in their analyses. Any association observed between migrant status and increased incidence of schizophrenia has stimulated a great deal of research and explanatory hypotheses, including additional stress relating to migration and settling into a new country, and possible issues with discrimination. Other explanations include a tendency for at-risk individuals to migrate, and underlying genetic variances across cultures.

What is the evidence on incidence of schizophrenia in migrant populations?

Moderate to high quality evidence finds the incidence rate of schizophrenia is higher in migrants than in native-born populations. This is found in both first and second generation migrants, and particularly in migrants with black skin and in those living in the UK, The Netherlands, and Scandinavian countries.

Please also see the topic on incidence of schizophrenia in refugees.

April 2022

Image: ©carlosgardel – stock.adobe.com

Last updated at: 3:44 pm, 6th April 2022
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Fact Sheet Technical Commentary
Tags:  Migrants

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