Suicide among migrants: a comprehensive narrative review of literature

Abstract

Suicidality among migrants represents a multifaceted and complex issue with significant implications and challenges for public mental health and policies. This narrative review aims to explore the factors contributing to suicidality within the migrant groups, consequently highlighting the need for tailored interventions and supporting strategies. Firstly, we reviewed the evidences on the prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempted suicides, and deaths by suicide among migrants. The results were extremely heterogeneous, mostly depending on the different migrant group considered. Significant differences in suicide risk have been found depending on the legal status of migrants and their country of origin/migration. The second section explored the protective and risk factors for suicidal ideation and behaviours in different migrant groups. The analysis concluded that a set of factors may interact in various ways, contributing to a heterogeneous and complex framework underpinning the phenomenon of suicide. Migration itself may be a challenging and traumatizing experience, characterized by social isolation, cultural dislocation and adjustment, as well as economic and financial distress, all of which may exacerbate pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities or trigger new mental disorders. Acculturative stress, discrimination, and language barriers further compound these challenges, often hindering access to mental health services.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviour among migrant populations consistently varies across studies, mostly depending on the different characteristics of the various subgroups of migrants sampled.

• Literature comparing suicide risk among migrants and the native populations of the host countries has shown contrasting findings.

• Some studies have suggested that refugees report a higher risk of suicide compared to the general population but also to other migrant groups.

• Studies focused on asylum seekers have suggested that this group reports a particularly higher suicide risk than the native population of the hosting country.

• Migrants seem to carry with them the suicide risk rate registered in their homeland. In fact, migrants from countries with a high baseline suicide rate (i.e. Northern and Eastern European countries) are at higher risk of suicide attempts and death by suicide; nonetheless, over time, their risk rates tend to overlap with those of the country of migration.

• Factors that protect or predispose individuals to suicidality may differ between ethnic groups.

• Conflicts and war-related traumatic experiences, irrespectively of the presence of mental disorders, are common risk factors for suicidal ideation among refugees.

• Research suggests that second-generation migrants are more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors compared to first-generation migrants.

• Migrant mothers may be a particularly vulnerable group, as they are less likely to seek help from professional services due to various barriers, including stigma, language, poor knowledge of community services, and prioritizing their children’s needs.

• Poor living conditions are associated with an increased prevalence of mental disorders and suicidal behaviour among migrants. Concerns about safety and lack of shelter, food, water, clothing, and toilets were all associated with higher rates of PTSD symptoms and suicidal ideation.

• Migrants face several challenges in accessing mental health treatments, including stigma, language barriers and distrust due to the lack of cultural-competent and gender-sensitive assistance.

Keywords:

• Suicide
• suicidal attempts
• suicidal ideation
• migrants
• migration
• acculturation
• discrimination

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).