Migration Mental Health: Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Persons

This chapter introduces some essential background needed for working with migrant populations in psychiatry and mental health care. The chapter begins by outlining specific categories and trajectories of migration. The epidemiology of mental health problems across categories of international migrants is then reviewed, and the social determinants of health and resilience in these populations are highlighted. Subsequent sections delineate issues in clinical assessment and treatment, focusing on ecosocial frameworks of clinical care. The conclusion addresses the structural aspects of responding to the mental health needs of migrants, from the design of health systems to the protection of human rights, and the role of advocacy in clinical care. While the chapter focuses primarily on the context of migration to high- and middle-income countries, issues related to low-income countries and internally displaced populations are also discussed.