Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | 3325 - Migration and birth: effects of this double transition on mental health |
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| Contribution code | PS02-70 (P) |
| Authors | |
| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Objectives: Here, we present three immigrant patients with post-partum mental health issues in Switzerland. The aim of the discussion is to show that the risk factors for developing a peripartum mental disorder and its expression are complex and likely to be influenced by the patient’s background and culture. We will also address the impact of different factors (such as cultural characteristics, migration backgrounds and trajectories, cultural idioms of stress) on the risk of developing a mental disorder, as well as on its presentation. Methods: Three mothers of infants between the age of 2 and 11 months. They are from different nationalities with different migration backgrounds. The three of them have been hospitalized at the Adult Medical-Psychiatric unit (UPHA) in the Department of Consultative and Crisis Intervention Psychiatry (SPLIC) located in the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG). The patients received a detailed psychiatric evaluation at admission and discharge. During their stay, they received daily psychiatric and psychotherapeutic sessions Mother-infant interactions were assessed twice a week by pedopsychiatrists. Infants under the age of 4 months were under the care of a midwife. Her role consisted to help the mother taking care of their child. Results: The diagnosis and the clinical presentation in mental disorder associated with pregnancy and early postnatal period is not only influenced by the cultural differences and migration background but also by the cultural and scientific background of the care-givers. It is very important to include these differences in the work with the immigrant women in a multidisciplinary approach. Conclusion: The increasing presence of immigrants access to mental health services has highlighted new and peculiar expressions of psychic distress related to the specific cultural and ethnic dimensions of each population, probably unknown to the caregivers. Immigrant pregnant women and their future children are at higher risk to develop mental disorders. The above case reports highlight the need for further socio-cultural research in the field of the assessment of factors associated with immigrants and refugee mental health, given the higher rate of perinatal mental illness in immigrant women and their children. They also highlight the importance of an interdisciplinary psychosocial assessment and the use of culture sensitive material. |