Publicação
Mental Health Among Adolescents with a Migration Background: A Descriptive Study
| Resumo: | Migration may be associated with psychosocial challenges affecting adolescent mental health. This retrospective study described psychiatric hospitalizations of adolescents with a migration background in a child and adolescent psychiatry inpatient unit between December 2016 and June 2024. Forty-four adolescents were identified, accounting for 51 hospitalization episodes. Most patients were female (66%), with a mean age of 15.34 ± 1.47 years, and 91% were first-generation migrants. Suicidal ideation was the most frequent reason for admission (31.38%). Most admissions originated from the emergency department (84.32%), with a mean length of stay of 18.47 ± 10.62 days. At discharge, the most frequent diagnoses included depressive disorders (36.36%), trauma- and stressor-related disorders (22.73%), and schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (13.64%). Most adolescents had no previous contact with mental health services (63.6%). These findings highlight the clinical relevance of this population and the need for early intervention strategies and improved coordination between healthcare, education and community services |
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| Autores principais: | Bayam, Carolina |
| Outros Autores: | Tomé, Marisa; Rodrigues, Laura; Bayam, Francisca; Cartaxo, Teresa |
| Assunto: | Acculturation Adolescent Mental Disorders/epidemiology Mental Health Portugal Transients and Migrants Aculturação Adolescência Migrantes Perturbações Mentais Portugal Saúde Mental |
| Ano: | 2026 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | unknown |
| Instituição associada: | Ordem dos Médicos |
| Idioma: | português |
| Origem: | Acta Médica Portuguesa |
| Resumo: | Migration may be associated with psychosocial challenges affecting adolescent mental health. This retrospective study described psychiatric hospitalizations of adolescents with a migration background in a child and adolescent psychiatry inpatient unit between December 2016 and June 2024. Forty-four adolescents were identified, accounting for 51 hospitalization episodes. Most patients were female (66%), with a mean age of 15.34 ± 1.47 years, and 91% were first-generation migrants. Suicidal ideation was the most frequent reason for admission (31.38%). Most admissions originated from the emergency department (84.32%), with a mean length of stay of 18.47 ± 10.62 days. At discharge, the most frequent diagnoses included depressive disorders (36.36%), trauma- and stressor-related disorders (22.73%), and schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (13.64%). Most adolescents had no previous contact with mental health services (63.6%). These findings highlight the clinical relevance of this population and the need for early intervention strategies and improved coordination between healthcare, education and community services |
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