Risk Factors for Psychotic Disorders within Migrant Groups in Ontario

There is a large evidence base suggesting elevated rates of psychotic disorders among some migrant groups, relative to the non-migrant host population. The excess rates of psychotic disorders among migrant and ethnic minority groups have been called a “public health tragedy”, and these inequities have persisted for nearly a century with little progress toward prevention. Relatively little is known about factors that may modify the risk of psychotic disorders within migrant groups.

This project will assess whether socio-demographic, migration-related, and post-migration factors are associated with an elevated risk of psychotic disorders among first-generation migrants in Ontario, Canada. We will also look at look at novel factors, such as the role of linguistic distance, in explaining the elevated rates of psychosis among migrants. To do this, we will use data from 2 million migrants who landed in Ontario over a twenty-year period. The findings from this program of research could potentially identify modifiable markers of risk for psychotic disorder to inform public mental health strategies, as well as high risk subgroups to target for early intervention.

Project participants

Funding: Western University Department of Psychiatry

Principal Investigator: Kelly Anderson

Co-Investigators: Jordan Edwards, Lena Palaniyappan

Students: Jahin Khan, Ivan Witt