[Migration and rehabilitation of mental diseases -- perspectives and limitations in the reporting of official data of service providers]

Indicators for Public Mental Health: A Scoping Review

Background: To monitor population mental health, the identification of relevant indicators is pivotal. This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of current indicators representing the various fields of public mental health core topics. It was conducted as a first step to build up a Mental Health Surveillance for Germany.

Methods: We conducted a systematic MEDLINE search via PubMed. This search was supplemented by an extensive examination of the websites of relevant national as well as international institutions in the context of public mental health and an additional internet search via Google. To structure the data, an expert-based focus group identified superordinate topics most relevant to public mental health to which the identified indicators could be assigned to. Finally, the indicator set was screened for duplicates and appropriate content to arrive at a final set.

Results: Within the various search strategies, we identified 13.811 records. Of these records, a total of 365 records were processed for indicator extraction. The extracted indicators were then assigned to 14 topics most relevant to public mental health as identified by the expert-based focus group. After the exclusion of duplicates and those indicators not meeting criteria of specificity and target group, the final set consisted of 192 indicators.

Conclusion: The presented indicator set provides guidance in the field of current concepts in public mental health monitoring. As a comprehensive compilation, it may serve as basis for future surveillance efforts, which can be adjusted and condensed depending on the particular monitoring focus. Our work provides insights into established indicators included in former surveillance work as well as recent, not yet included indicators reflecting current developments in the field. Since our compilation mainly concludes indicators related to mental health in adults, it should be complemented with indicators specific to children and adolescents. Furthermore, our review revealed that indicators on mental health promotion and prevention are underrepresented in current literature of public mental health and should hence be focused on within future research and surveillance.

Utilisation of rehabilitation services for non-migrant and migrant groups of higher working age in Germany - results of the lidA cohort study

Background

An ageing and a shrinking labour force implies that the prevention of a premature exit from work due to poor health will become more relevant in the future. Medical rehabilitation is a health service that aims at active participation in working life. The provision of this service will be relevant for an increasing part of the ageing labour force, namely, employees with a migrant background and their different subgroups. Thus, this study examines whether first- and second-generation employees with migrant background differ from non-migrants in their utilisation of rehabilitation services and whether within the subsample of migrant employees, those persons with foreign nationality differ from those with German nationality.

Methods

Socially insured employees born in 1959 or 1965 were surveyed nationwide in 2011 as part of the lidA cohort study (n=6303). Survey data of the first study wave were used to identify the dependent variable of the utilisation of rehabilitation (in- and outpatient), the independent variable of migrant status and the covariates of sociodemographic, work- and non-work-related factors. Applying bivariate statistics with tests of independence and block-wise logistic regressions, differences between the groups were investigated. Additionally, average marginal effects were computed to directly compare the adjusted models.

Results

The study showed that first-generation migrants had a significantly lower likelihood of utilising outpatient rehabilitation than non-migrants (fully adj. OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.22-0.82) and that average marginal effects indicated higher differences in the full model than in the null model. No significant differences were found between the first- or second-generation migrants and non-migrants when comparing the utilisation of inpatient rehabilitation or any rehabilitation or when analysing German and foreign employees with migrant background (n=1148).

Conclusions

Significant differences in the utilisation of outpatient rehabilitation between first-generation migrants and non-migrants were found, which could not be explained by sociodemographic, work- and non-work-related factors. Thus, further factors might play a role. The second-generation migrants resemble the non-migrants rather than their parent generation (first-generation migrants). This detailed investigation shows the heterogeneity in the utilisation of health services such as medical rehabilitation, which is why service sensitive to diversity should be considered.

[Utilization of medical rehabilitation prior to disability retirement : Comparison of German and non-German nationals with a special focus on ethnic German resettlers]

BACKGROUND

So far little is known about the utilization of medical rehabilitation among non-German nationals and ethnic German resettlers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the utilization of medical rehabilitation in non-German nationals and ethnic German resettlers prior to disability retirement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Routine data from the German statutory pension insurance scheme were used. Information on 17,369 individuals who retired due to disability in 2015 was available. Ethnic German resettlers were defined by means of information stemming from a prior occupation in the country of origin. The outcome of interest was the utilization of medical rehabilitation in the past 5 years prior to the disability pension. Multilevel logistic regression was used to control the influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors.

RESULTS

Compared to Germans without resettler status, non-German nationals had a lower chance of utilizing medical rehabilitation. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) were 0.79 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.67-0.92) for Turkish nationals and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.45-0.71) for nationals from EU countries. Ethnic German resettlers had a higher chance of utilizing medical rehabilitation (adjusted OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20-1.64).

CONCLUSION

Non-German nationals utilized medical rehabilitation prior to disability retirement less frequently than German nationals. This is presumably because of the barriers non-Germans experience in utilization, resulting from poor information and problems emerging in the transition from general practitioner to rehabilitative care. Ethnic German resettlers do not seem to be disadvantaged in terms of access to rehabilitation.

[Health status of people with a migrant background and impact of socio-economic factors: First results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1)]

People with a migrant background (PMB) have specific health-related risk factors and resources compared to the non-migrant population (NMP). The analysis focuses on the relationship between migrant background and health and health-related behavior. Moreover, the study analyses whether socio-economic status (SES) contributes to the explanation of differences between PMB and the NMP. The research is based on the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1) (2008-2012, n = 8151). The population for cross-sectional analyses contains 1107 PMB (weighted 19.8 %). The research question is addressed on the basis of nine exemplary health outcomes. All analyses are gender specific and make a distinction between first and second generation PMB. Logistic regression is calculated adjusting for age and SES. The results reveal clear gender-specific patterns: For women, differences are statistically significant mainly for first generation PMB. Compared to the NMP their self-assessed health status is lower, they are less physically active, consume less alcohol, feel less informed about cancer screening programs and make less use of preventive health services. However, daily smoking is more prevalent in second generation women. For men, differences are statistically significant for first and second generation PMB. Men with a migrant background show more symptoms of depression, consume less alcohol and feel less informed about cancer screening programs. After adjusting for SES the impact of migrant background on health status and health-related behavior largely remains stable. The study shows that the DEGS1 data offers valuable results and new insights into the health status of people with a migrant background. The use of this data for further research requires a differentiated approach to the concept of migrant background and a careful interpretation of results.

Utilization and effectiveness of medical rehabilitation in foreign nationals residing in Germany

In Germany, the proportion of foreign national residents receiving an invalidity pension is higher than that of Germans. Lower utilization and effectiveness of medical rehabilitation are presumed to be the main reasons. We aimed to examine whether differences in utilization and effectiveness of medical rehabilitation between Germans and foreign nationals are attributable to differences in socio-demography, socio-economic background and health status. Utilization of rehabilitation was analyzed for household members aged 18 years or above enrolled in the German Socio-Economic Panel in 2002-2004 (n = 19,521). Effectiveness of rehabilitation was defined by the occupational performance at the end of rehabilitation. It was examined by using an 80% random sample of all completed medical rehabilitations in the year 2006 funded by the German Statutory Pension Insurance Scheme (n = 634,529). Our study shows that foreign nationals utilize medical rehabilitation less often than Germans (OR = 0.68; 95%-CI = 0.50; 0.91). For those who do, medical rehabilitation is less effective (OR for low occupational performance = 1.50; 95%-CI = 1.46; 1.55). Both findings are only partially attributable to socio-demographic, socio-economic and health characteristics: After adjusting for these factors, ORs for utilization and low occupational performance were 0.66 (95%-CI = 0.49; 0.90) and 1.20 (95%-CI = 1.16; 1.24), respectively. It can be concluded that differences in the utilization and effectiveness of medical rehabilitation between Germans and foreign nationals cannot be explained only by socio-economic differences or poorer health before rehabilitation. In addition, factors such as the ability of the rehabilitative care system to accommodate clients with differing expectations, and migrant-specific characteristics such as cultural differences, seem to play a role.

Gesundheit und gesundheitliche Versorgung von Migranten unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Sucht

Adequate knowledge about the target group is essential for user-focused health care. Little differentiated information on the health and health care of migrants is available in Germany, and focused research on migrant groups hardly exists. The burden of the migration itself, the change in the socioeconomic status (compared to the home country) and - compared with the locals - a more restricted access to the health care system affect the health of migrants. A major health problem with this group is addiction. Characteristics of health and health behaviour of Turkish- and Russian-speaking migrants in Germany are examined by a study supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.