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Botchway-Commey EN, Adonteng-Kissi O, Meribe N, Chisanga D, Moustafa AA, Tembo A, Baffour FD, Gatwiri K, Doyle AK, Mwanri L, Osuagwu UL. Mental health and mental health help-seeking behaviors among first-generation voluntary African migrants: A systematic review. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298634. [PMID: 38498578 PMCID: PMC10947684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Mental health challenges are highly prevalent in African migrants. However, understanding of mental health outcomes in first-generation voluntary African migrants is limited, despite the unique challenges faced by this migrant subgroup. This review aimed to synthesize the literature to understand the mental health challenges, help-seeking behavior, and the relationship between mental health and mental health help-seeking behavior in first-generation voluntary African migrants living outside Africa. METHODS Medline Complete, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, and APA PsychINFO were searched for studies published between January 2012 to December 2023. Retrieved articles were processed, data from selected articles were extracted and synthesized to address the study aims, and included studies were evaluated for risk of bias. RESULTS Eight studies were included, including four quantitative and four qualitative studies, which focused on women with postnatal depression. Mental health challenges reported in the quantitative studies were depression, interpersonal disorders, and work-related stress. Risk (e.g., neglect from health professionals and lack of social/spousal support) and protective (e.g., sensitivity of community services and faith) factors associated with mental health were identified. Barriers (e.g., cultural beliefs about mental health and racial discrimination) and facilitators (sensitizing African women about mental health) of mental health help-seeking behavior were also identified. No significant relationship was reported between mental health and mental health help-seeking behavior, and the risk of bias results indicated some methodological flaws in the studies. CONCLUSION This review shows the dearth of research focusing on mental health and help-seeking behavior in this subgroup of African migrants. The findings highlight the importance of African migrants, especially mothers with newborns, examining cultural beliefs that may impact their mental health and willingness to seek help. Receiving countries should also strive to understand the needs of first-generation voluntary African migrants living abroad and offer mental health support that is patient-centered and culturally sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith N. Botchway-Commey
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Brain and Mind Group, Clinical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Obed Adonteng-Kissi
- School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University, Southwest Campus, Bunbury, Australia
| | - Nnaemeka Meribe
- Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Chisanga
- Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, Agriculture Victoria, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ahmed A. Moustafa
- Faculty of Society and Design, School of Psychology, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- The Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Agness Tembo
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Frank Darkwa Baffour
- School of Humanities, Social Science and Creative Industries, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kathomi Gatwiri
- Faculty of Health, Centre for Children & Young People, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Aunty Kerrie Doyle
- Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing CAG, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lillian Mwanri
- Centre for Public Health Research Equity and Human Flourishing, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu
- Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing CAG, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
- Bathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
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