Psychiatric care and immigration. Preliminary findings in a hospital in Madrid, Spain

Abstract

This pilot study aims to investigate differences regarding access to psychiatric care, motives for demanding emergency psychiatric care, admission rates, rates of compulsory admission, and main diagnoses in immigrants and natives. Psychiatric emergency visits (n=1,126) and hospitalisations (n=225) were registered in a Spanish Hospital with a catchment area of 280.000 people (19.34% immigrants) between October 20th 2002 and April 30 th 2003. Access to psychiatric care, motives for demanding emergency psychiatric care, admission rates, rates of compulsory admission, and main diagnoses in natives and immigrants were compared. Immigrants were more likely to be compulsory admitted, were under-represented in the emergency and hospitalization units, and were less likely to be readmitted. Motives for hospitalisation were also different. Immigrants seemed to suffer less drug abuse and more anxiety disorders than natives (possibly reactive conditions related to the stress of migration).