Mental Health of Asian Immigrants in New Zealand: A Review of Key Issues

Abstract

Although the mental health status of Asian immigrants in New Zealand is not well studied, the limited data that is available suggests that the mental disorder prevalence rates are similar to that of the general population, and that language problems, failure to find employment, separation from family and community, and traumatic experiences prior to migration are key factors associated with increased risk of minor mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. The research has also found that stigma is a major obstacle preventing Asian immigrants from using mainstream mental health services. Cultural differences in assessment and treatment, a lack of English proficiency and inadequate knowledge and awareness of existing services are additional barriers. These issues draw attention to the need for greater responsiveness to the needs of Asian service users and their families in the mental health system.

Migration and its impact on mental and physical health: Social support and its main functions

“…Other researchers found that the integration process induces tension, resulting also to worsened mental health [6]. Traumatic experience related to migration, separation from the family or community and language barrier were identified as factors related to increased risk of mental disorders [7]. Those factors include also unemployment and experience with discrimination [8].…”

Structural barriers to refugee, asylum seeker and undocumented migrant healthcare access. Perceptions of Doctors of the World caseworkers in the UK

“…Displaced populations encounter violence, discrimination and suffering in their home countries, on their travel routes, and in host countries. This experience has been linked to detrimental health and mental-health outcomes (Dro zđek and Wenzel, 2018;WHO, 2018).…”

Infection, temporality and inequality: Sanitizing foreign bodies and protecting public health in Taiwan

“…Conceptualizing health as an essential right, migration scholarship is concerned with migrant workers’ access to healthcare that is either publicly funded or privately purchased ( Ambrosini, 2015 ; Jones, 2005 ). Access to and costs of healthcare have a direct impact on migrant workers’ treatment for illness, whether it is occupational, non-occupational, infectious, or mental ( Harrigan et al, 2017 ; Ho, 2004 ; Isarabhakdi, 2004 ; Lee, 2008 ; Preibisch and Hennebry, 2011 ). Concerned with whether migrant workers can receive timely and affordable healthcare, such scholarship examines how the quality and availability of healthcare is contingent on the cost of healthcare and on migrant workers’ gender, language, occupation, wage, location, accommodation, working conditions, access to information, relationship with their employers and/or brokers and access to healthcare.…”