Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2020
Journal
Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume
141
Issue
5
First Page
410
Last Page
420
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13147
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing evidence on the association between age at migration and the risk of psychotic disorders.
METHODS: Observational studies were eligible for inclusion if they presented data on the association between age at migration and the risk of psychotic disorders among first-generation migrant groups. We used two random effects meta-analyses to pool effect estimates for each stratum of age at migration relative to (i) a native-born reference category and (ii) the youngest age stratum (0 to 2 years).
RESULTS: Ten studies met inclusion criteria, and five were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of psychotic disorder among people who migrate prior to age 18 is nearly twice as high as the native-born population, with no evidence of effect modification by age strata. People who migrate during early adulthood (19 to 29 years) have a similar risk of psychotic disorder as the native-born population (IRR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.60, 1.44) and a lower risk relative to those who migrate during infancy (0 to 2 years) (IRR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.33, 1.04).
CONCLUSIONS: Migrant status is one of few well-established risk factors for psychotic disorder, yet we have limited understanding of the underlying etiology. The findings of this review advance our understanding of this association and identify high-risk groups to target for intervention.
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Notes
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Age at migration and the risk of psychotic disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 141, 5 p410-420 (2020)], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13147. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions: https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/licensing/self-archiving.html#3.