Migration and mental health – the perception of mental health issues and services among migrants

Method: a qualitative study involving 54 migrants from Afghanistan, Somalia, arabic-speaking countries and Turkey as well as 16 experts. There are many similarities among socio-economically disadvantaged people in terms of their understanding of mental health and their willingness to seek and accept support, no matter if they have a migration background or not. However, differences can also be observed which are related to the country of origin and gender, but also to acculturation status, current life situation or previous experiences within the home or the receiving country. The Turkish reference group shows, that the perception of mental health issues is changing in the course of time and the use of mental health services increases. To support this process, a wide range of services as well as targeted measures for the promotion of health literacy are needed, but also measures to improve integration and the societal climate.