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Similarity in depressive symptom profile in a population-based study of migrants in the Netherlands

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Abstract

Objective

Depression is a clinical syndrome developed in Western Europe and North-America. The expression of symptoms and the impact of symptoms on functioning may therefore be expected to vary across cultures and languages. Our first aim was to study differences in depressive symptom profile between indigenous and non-Western immigrant populations in the Netherlands. We hypothesized that differences in expression of depressive symptoms would be more likely in the domains of mood and cognitions, and less likely in the domains of psychomotor and vegetative symptoms. Our second aim was to study ethnic differences in the association of depressive symptoms and general functioning.

Method

In a random community sample stratified for ethnicity in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, depressive symptoms were assessed by bilingual interviewers using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Impairments in functioning were measured by the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II). Results were obtained from 812 subjects: N = 321 native Dutch, N = 213 Turkish-Dutch, N = 191 Moroccan-Dutch, N = 87 Surinamese-Dutch. Differences in depressive symptom expression were tested by differential item functioning.

Results

The prevalence of DSM-IV depressive disorder and the overall level of depressive symptoms were higher in the Turkish and Moroccan immigrant groups compared to native Dutch subjects. Ethnic differences in item functioning of depressive symptoms were rare, and equally unlikely in all four symptom domains. Depression was equally associated with functional impairment across ethnic groups.

Conclusion

Although depressive symptoms were more common among migrants than in the indigenous population, both the depressive symptom profile and the associated functional impairments were comparable. These findings may help diminishing concerns about the validity of using existing diagnostic procedures among ethnic minority groups.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank for their financial contribution to this project the Amsterdam Municipal Health Service and three institutions for mental health care in Amsterdam: Arkin, GGZ inGeest and AMC de Meren. Altrecht Institute for Mental Health Care supported the first author financially and practically during data analysis and the writing of the report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Altrecht Institute for Mental Health Care, Lange Nieuwstraat 119, 3512 PG, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Agnes C. Schrier & Ralph W. Kupka

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Documentation and Health Promotion, Amsterdam Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Matty A. S. de Wit & Arnoud P. Verhoeff

  3. Department of Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Frank Rijmen

  4. Department of Public Mental Health Care, Amsterdam Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Wilco C. Tuinebreijer

  5. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Arnoud P. Verhoeff

  6. VU University Medical Center, EMGO, Arkin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jack Dekker

  7. Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Aartjan T. F. Beekman

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  1. Agnes C. Schrier
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  2. Matty A. S. de Wit
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  6. Ralph W. Kupka
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Correspondence to Agnes C. Schrier.

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Schrier, A.C., de Wit, M.A.S., Rijmen, F. et al. Similarity in depressive symptom profile in a population-based study of migrants in the Netherlands. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 45, 941–951 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0135-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0135-0

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