IMMIGRATION, MOVING HOUSE AND PSYCHIATRIC ADMISSIONS

This study was designed to elucidate psychiatric admission rates for n ative Swedes and foreign-born individuals during the period 1991-1994, when Sweden had a great influx of refugees. During the same period, a nd even earlier, psychiatric in-patient care had been reduced. Tests o f differences between Swedes and foreign-born individuals in first psy chiatric admission rates were performed using Poisson regressions, and the risk of a readmission was assessed using a proportional hazard mo del. Foreign-born individuals and native Swedes, both males and female s, showed a similar admission pattern with regard to the number of adm issions. Foreign-born males under 55 years of age and foreign-born fem ales under 35 years of age had significantly higher admission rates th an native Swedes. In total, native Swedes, both males and females, wer e hospitalized for a significantly longer period than the foreign-born subjects. About 43% of the patients were readmitted. The risk of a re admission was significantly increased among those with a high rate of internal migration. The high admission rates for young foreign-born in dividuals might be explained by a high incidence of mental illness owi ng to the trauma of being violently forced to migrate, acculturation d ifficulties, or unsatisfactory social circumstances such as high unemp loyment. The shorter hospitalization time could be due to undertreatme nt or less serious mental illness.