Schizophrenia in Migrants Living in the Western Region of Melbourne

Abstract

Comparison is made between migrant (n = 332) and Australian-born (n = 242) schizophrenic outpatients attending a regional psychiatric hospital. Age-corrected rates show that migrants are over-represented. The migrant patient-group was older, developed the illness later, and had a higher proportion of females. More female migrant patients had developed the illness before arrival and in the first five years after migration compared to males whose peak incidence was between 11 and 15 years after arrival. Migrant patients showed greater family cohesion. On broad socio-economic indices, illness characteristics and treatment received, no significant differences emerged. In many respects patients born in U.K. and Ireland resembled the Australian-born.