Mapping the evidence on psychosocial interventions for migrant populations: Descriptive analysis of a living database of randomized studies

Camilla Cadorin; Marianna Purgato; Giulia Turrini; Eleonora Prina; Madalena Cabral Ferreira; Doriana Cristofalo; Monica B. Bartucz; Anke B. Witteveen; Marit Sijbrandij; Davide Papola; Corrado Barbui

doi:10.1017/gmh.2024.33

Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health (Jan 2024)

Mapping the evidence on psychosocial interventions for migrant populations: Descriptive analysis of a living database of randomized studies

Camilla Cadorin,
Marianna Purgato,
Giulia Turrini,
Eleonora Prina,
Madalena Cabral Ferreira,
Doriana Cristofalo,
Monica B. Bartucz,
Anke B. Witteveen,
Marit Sijbrandij,
Davide Papola,
Corrado Barbui

Affiliations

Camilla Cadorin: ORCiD; WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Marianna Purgato: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Giulia Turrini: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Eleonora Prina: ORCiD; WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Madalena Cabral Ferreira: Public Health Unit of the Primary Care Cluster of Famalicão, Northern Region Health Administration, Famalicão, Portugal
Doriana Cristofalo: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
Monica B. Bartucz: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anke B. Witteveen: ORCiD; Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Institute and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marit Sijbrandij: ORCiD; Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Institute and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Davide Papola: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Corrado Barbui: WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2024.33
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11

Abstract

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Migrant mental health is a pressing public health issue with wide-ranging implications. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted in this population to assess the effects of psychosocial interventions. However, the available evidence is characterized by controversy and fragmentation, with studies focusing on different migrant populations, interventions, outcomes, delivery modalities and settings. Aiming to promote systematic reviews of the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in different migrant groups, we have developed a living database of existing RCTs. The development of the database provides an opportunity to map the existing RCT evidence in this population. A total of 135 studies involving 24,859 participants were included in the living database. The distribution of studies by year of publication aligns with the increasing global migrant population in recent years. Most studies focus primarily on adult participants, with a limited representation of children and adolescents, and a prevalence of female participants, which is consistent with epidemiological data, except for older adults, who are underrepresented in research. Studies predominantly focus on refugees and asylum seekers, likely due to their elevated risk of mental health issues, despite the substantial presence of economic migrants worldwide. While studies mainly involve migrants from the Middle East and East Asia, epidemiological data suggest a broader geographic representation, with migrants coming from Eastern Europe, Latin America and South Asia. The present descriptive analysis of RCTs on mental health and psychosocial interventions for migrant populations provides valuable insights into the existing research landscape. It should be used to inform future research efforts, ensuring that studies are more representative of the global migrant population and more responsive to the mental health needs of migrants in different contexts.

Published in Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health

ISSN: 2054-4251 (Online)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/global-mental-health

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