Women’s Health Academic Centre Impact of stressful life events on migrant women’s mental health and well-being Laura Nellums MSc, PhD Student Dr Stephani Hatch :: Prof. Louise M. Howard Section for Women’s Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London Funding: National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London / ORS Award / King’s International Graduate Scholarship. Background 4.5 million migrants in UK; 3 million in London No consensus on relationship between migration and mental health Some migrant women may be at increased risk of poor mental health outcomes Limited research on predictors of poor mental health for migrant women † Data have been weighted to correct for non-response bias, and for clustering in the household survey. * p<.05 ** p<.01 *** p< SELCoH Study: uk/about-us/biomedical-research-centre/about-the-brc/core-facilities/south-east-london-community-health-(selcoh)-survey.aspx Not for reproduction or distribution Conclusions: High rates of exposure to stressful life events and high levels of psychological symptoms across women Exposure to abuse is endemic across communities of women, and is detrimental to women’s mental health and well-being Systems level approach needed to address social and health needs of women, as well as the multiple barriers they face to accessing coping resources and care Mixed-methods study on impact of migration and stressful life events on women’s mental health and well-being Cross-sectional survey Aim: Investigate impact of migration and stressful life events on risk of high levels of psychological symptoms for women living in South East London Hypothesis: Immigrant women are more likely to experience high levels of psychological symptoms than women born in the UK Methods: Study population: first generation immigrant women and women born in the UK who participated in the SELCoH Study Data: SELCoH Study Outcome measure: high levels of psychological symptoms (Clinical Interview Schedule – Revised Version, cut off 12; 4 item Post Traumatic Stress Disorder screen, cut off 3) Results: Characteristics of sample: Sample size 944: 553 women born in the UK, 391 immigrant women. High prevalence of psychological symptoms in sample: 29.5% [95% CI: 24.8 – 34.6] of migrant women 28.6% [95% CI: 24.9 – 32.6] of women born in the UK High prevalence of potentially traumatic lifetime events: 66.5% [95% CI 61.4 – 71.3] of migrant women 71.4% [95% CI 67.2 – 75.2] of women born in the UK Multivariate analysis: No difference in mental health outcomes between immigrant women and women born in the UK [AOR: 1.0 [95% CI: 0.7 – 1.6]. Fully adjusted model: Risk factors for hig levels of psychological symptoms (n=755) Qualitative study Aim: To Investigate: what experiences women in diverse communities in London perceive have affected their mental health and well- being; how women’s mental health and well-being have been affected by these experiences; and how these experiences and women’s conceptualisations of mental health and well-being differ for immigrant women and women born in the UK. Methods: Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of migrant women and women born in the UK living in London. Results: Characteristics of sample: Sample size: 20 immigrant women and 10 women born in the UK Thematic analysis: stressful life events, and processes of marginalisation, disempowerment and isolation contributed to changes in women’s mental health and well-being, including changes in their emotional health and their ‘whole body’. Women also identified coping processes.