Cross-cultural psychiatric assessment of Greek and Swedish patients at a Swedish primary health centre

Abstract

Fifty Greek and 50 Swedish consecutive somatic patients were examined by a Swedish general practitioner and a Greek psychotherapist at a health centre in Stockholm. In addition to a physical examination, a psychiatric assessment of the patients was made. Psycho-social stressors were also rated in accordance with the DSM-III. Two-thirds of the Greek men, nearly half of Greek women, one-fifth of the Swedish women, but no Swedish man showed depressive/dysphoric symptoms in the subscales for Depression and Dysphoria from the Comprehensive Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS). Inter-rater correlation was high in the scales. Many of the Greek women and nearly all the Greek men exhibited severe psychosocial stressors. Most of the psychiatric symptoms in this group of immigrant patients were interpreted as emotional expressions for dissatisfaction with their social situation. This study illustrates the importance of a cross-cultural approach in the assessment of psychiatric disorders in immigrant patients.

Key Words:

• Cross-cultural psychiatry
• Greeks
• Immigrants
• Primary health care
• Psycho-social stressors