Prevalence of mental health problems and illness among immigrants and refugees

Among the general Canadian population, the most common mental disorders are depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychosis and substance use disorder.

A systematic review examining several studies found that the most common mental disorders in first-generation immigrants are depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (Close et al., 2016). The prevalence of these mental disorders varies widely based on complex factors, including pre-immigration experiences.

According to a recent systematic review on mental disorders among refugees, the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder were typically 20% and over (Ibid.). Some studies have also found higher rates of psychosis and substance use problems among immigrants and refugees than in the general population (Durbin , Lin, Taylor, & Callaghan, 2011; Parrett & Mason, 2010; Kirmayer et al., 2011a; Kroll et al., 2011; Anderson et al., 2015; Brandt, et al., 2019).

Again, it is important to keep in mind that the prevalence of mental disorders varies greatly between and among immigrant and refugee subpopulations.