Multilevel determinants of common mental disorders in migrant and non-migrant wives in Tajikistan

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate common mental disorders among Tajik migrant and non-migrant wives in a primary care centre. Using a cross sectional design, quantitative surveys using standard questionnaires were administered to 300 married Tajik women aged 18–45 in Dushanbe. Descriptive and multivariate analyses described the demographic and mental health patterns, and comparison of key sub-groups, using Chi-square, t-test and regression. A total of 26% of women in primary care had moderate or severe depression, 17% had moderate or severe anxiety and 20% had moderate or severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Lifetime physical or emotional abuse was reported in 22% and women with lifetime physical or emotional abuse had higher depression, anxiety and PTSD scores. Significant multivariate associations predicted the following risk factors: for depression (R² = .40): higher number of people you live with, older age of woman, and migrant husband; for anxiety (R² = .41): more direct trauma and older age of woman; for PTSD (R² = .48): lower number of people you live with, more direct trauma, older age of woman, higher number of children, non-migrant husband and lifetime emotional or physical abuse. Mental health interventions are needed in primary care settings for women with common mental disorders, including those exposed to trauma and migration.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• wives
• migration
• primary care

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Gulchekhra Pirova Faculty member in the Public Health Department at Tajik State Medical University. She received her Master of Public Health from Tajik State Medical University in 2012. Her research interests include the influence of medical and psychosocial factors on deprived and underprivileged classes. Her special focus of interest is on mental disorders and labor migration issues and consequences. She is D43 postdoctoral fellow at UIC.

Dr. Stevan Weine is Professor of Psychiatry at the UIC College of Medicine, where he also Director of Global Medicine and Director of the Center for Global Health. For the past 25 years he has conducted a program of research focused on trauma- and migration-impacted populations. His research mission is to develop, implement, and evaluate psychosocial interventions that are feasible, acceptable, and effective with respect to the complex real-life contexts where migrants and refugees live.

Arlene Michaels Miller, PhD, RN, FAAN, joined the College of Nursing at Rush University in 2009 and served as chair of the Department of Community, Systems, and Mental Health Nursing until 2014, when she became a professor in the College of Nursing Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship. Before coming to Rush, she taught for over 20 years at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.

Dr. Matlyuba Yahyokhodjaeva is physician in the polyclinic more than 10 years. Her research interest is women with health and mental health problems. She received her Master at Tajik State Medical University.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fogarty International Center [grant number D43TW009316-01A1].