Peer-reviewed article
Risk factors of psychosis in immigrant population: case report and literature review
Kabtni W, El Kefi H, Baatout A, Bencheikh C, Oumaya A ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed clinical case report and literature review examines risk factors for psychosis in immigrant populations. The paper presents one case study of a 22-year-old woman from Ivory Coast who developed schizophrenia after immigrating illegally to Tunisia, experiencing socioeconomic stress, workplace conflict, and separation from her child. The authors note that while migrant groups show elevated risk of psychotic disorders, evidence linking specific social environmental factors to psychosis in migrants remains limited.
Key points
- Migrant groups in several countries have elevated risk of developing psychotic disorders
- Case involved illegal immigration, poor socioeconomic conditions, low-wage work, and workplace conflicts as potential stressors
- Patient presented with dissociative and delusional syndrome, hallucinations, and behavioral changes
- Diagnosis of schizophrenia was made and patient stabilized on antipsychotic medication
- Authors note that evidence linking specific social environmental aspects to psychosis in migrants is still thin and requires further research
Limitations
This is a single case report with a literature review rather than a systematic study of risk factors. The document does not provide comparative data, epidemiological evidence, or identify which specific environmental or social factors causally contribute to psychosis in immigrant populations versus other populations.
Abstract
Introduction There is now compelling evidence that migrant groups in several countries have an elevated risk of developing psychotic disorders. Objectives To identify risk factors for psychosis in immigrant population. Methods case report and Computerised literature search of MEDLINE and PUBMED and PsycINFO databases was performed using the keywords: immigration, psychosis, schizophrenia. Results Mrs AM is 22 years old, Ivorian, without any personal or family psychiatric history, married and mother of an 11 months old baby. Because of the poor socio-economic conditions, she immigrated illegally to tunisia 3 months ago, accompanied by her husband, leaving her child in her native country. since then, she has been working in cleaning jobs with very low salaries and several conflicts in the workplace, which pushed AMto leave the job. One month before her admission, according to her husband, she became isolated, distrustful, she often watches herself in the mirror, refuses to take a shower, with some bizarre behaviors and persecutory words, then she became aggressive with her husband andneighbors, hence her admission. The interview revealed a dissociative and delusional syndrome, vague and poorly systematized, with hallucinatory and intuitive mechanisms. In view of the subsequent evolution, the diagnosis of schizophrenia was retained. After stabilization under antipsychotic drugs, the patient asked to be repatriated to join her child. Conclusions The evidence is still thin, and there is a clear need for further research to replicate and extend findings linking specific aspects of the social environment and risk of psychosis in migrant groups. Disclosure No significant relationships.