Clinical Encounters With Immigrants: What Matters for U.S. Psychiatrists

Approximately 3.2% of the global population consists of migrants. Today, unprecedented numbers of people are relocating to the United States; more than ever, psychiatrists are caring for immigrant patients. International migration is a multilayered issue that often has implications for the mental health of migrants. Thus, there is an increasing interest in understanding how the different factors associated with migration processes affect the mental health outcomes of immigrants. The authors group these factors into three categories: immigrant process, clinical encounter, and mental health services. When possible, the authors incorporate a gendered and life span perspective and suggest avenues for including what they know regarding the care of children, adults, and elderly psychiatric patients with immigrant backgrounds. This study pays special attention to the immigrant paradox literature, which explains why some immigrants are healthier when they start their journey, and why their mental health deteriorates as they live longer in the host societies. This study aims to provide psychiatrists with an understanding of what to ask, assess, and consider when caring for patients who are international migrants.