S28.01 - Migrant women and their utilization of psychiatric serives compared to Danish women

Abstract

Background:

In many ways, female migrants face different life situations and are exposed to different life situations com-pared to other women, but surprisingly little attention has been paid to gender and migrant status.

Material:

A nationwide study was carried out comprising 50,877 persons aged 18-66, who were registered in 2003 in the Danish Psychiatric Register or the National Patient Register with a psychiatric ICD-10diagnosis.

The population was divided into 5 ethnic groups: 87.1% were ethnic Danes, 7.8 % migrants, 4.0 % descen-dants with one Danish born parent, 0.7 % descendants with both parents born outside Denmark and 0.3% adoptees. Males comprised 49% women 51% of the population.

The 5 ethnic groups had significant differences in utilization of care, diagnostic distribution and use of coer-cion.

Results:

Women had higher contact rates in all groups apart from migrants.

Among the descendants of mixed background we saw particularly in young women a significantly higher contact rate for nervous disorders, personality disorders, and self-mutilating behaviour compared to young Danish women.

Self-mutilating behaviour was seen more frequently among female off-springs from non-Western countries than among migrant women from non-Western countries

Conclusion:

Possible explanations to the ethnic differences in terms of e.g. cultural identity, and gender issues will be outlined as well as ways to fulfil the therapeutic needs of these female populations.