Impact of stressful life events on migrant womens

Impact of stressful life events on migrant women’s mental health and well-being Laura Nellums MSc, Ph. D Student Dr Stephani Hatch : : Prof. Louise M. Howard Section for Women’s Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London Laura. Nellums@kcl. ac. uk Funding: National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London / ORS Award / King’s International Graduate Scholarship. Mixed-methods study on impact of migration and stressful life events on women’s mental health and well-being Background • 4. 5 million migrants in UK; 3 million in London • No consensus on relationship between migration and mental health • Some migrant women may be at increased risk of poor mental health outcomes • Limited research on predictors of poor mental health for migrant women Cross-sectional survey Aim: Investigate impact of migration and stressful life events on risk of high levels of psychological symptoms for women living in South East London Hypothesis: Immigrant women are more likely to experience high levels of psychological symptoms than women born in the UK Methods: Study population: first generation immigrant women and women born in the UK who participated in the SELCo. H Study Data: SELCo. H Study Outcome measure: high levels of psychological symptoms (Clinical Interview Schedule – Revised Version, cut off 12; 4 item Post Traumatic Stress Disorder screen, cut off 3) Results: Characteristics of sample: Sample size 944: 553 women born in the UK, 391 immigrant women. High prevalence of psychological symptoms in sample: 29. 5% [95% CI: 24. 8 – 34. 6] of migrant women 28. 6% [95% CI: 24. 9 – 32. 6] of women born in the UK High prevalence of potentially traumatic lifetime events: 66. 5% [95% CI 61. 4 – 71. 3] of migrant women 71. 4% [95% CI 67. 2 – 75. 2] of women born in the UK Multivariate analysis: No difference in mental health outcomes between immigrant women and women born in the UK [AOR: 1. 0 [95% CI: 0. 7 – 1. 6]. Fully adjusted model: Risk factors for hig levels of psychological symptoms (n=755) Women’s Health Academic Centre † Data have been weighted to correct for non-response bias, and for clustering in the household surv * p<. 05 ** p<. 01 *** p<. 001 Qualitative study Aim: To Investigate: what experiences women in diverse communities in London perceive have affected their mental health and wellbeing; how women’s mental health and well-being have been affected by these experiences; and how these experiences and women’s conceptualisations of mental health and well-being differ for immigrant women and women born in the UK. Methods: Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of migrant women and women born in the UK living in London. Results: Characteristics of sample: Sample size: 20 immigrant women and 10 women born in the UK Thematic analysis: stressful life events, and processes of marginalisation, disempowerment and isolation contributed to changes in women’s mental health and well-being, including changes in their emotional health and their ‘whole body’. Women also identified coping processes. Conclusions: • High rates of exposure to stressful life events and high levels of psychological symptoms across women • Exposure to abuse is endemic across communities of women, and is detrimental to women’s mental health and well-being • Systems level approach needed to address social and health needs of women, as well as the multiple barriers they face to accessing coping resources and care 1 SELCo. H Study: http: //www. slam. nhs. uk/about-us/biomedical-research-centre/about-the-brc/core-facilities/south-east-london-community-health-(selcoh)-survey. aspx Not for reproduction or distribution