About the project
Studies show that people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the United Kingdom are more likely to be referred to mental health services through the criminal justice system (e.g., police and courts) than through referrals from their GP. While many groups have been deemed at risk of developing poor mental health, non-British-born females are the most at risk of developing mental health problems compared to most other groups. Despite the added risk of developing mental health conditions, migrant women are less likely to access mental health services compared to the general population. Issues such as childcare, family responsibilities, language, female health-related illnesses, and stigma may prevent them from being offered or engaging with support. It is therefore hypothesised that migrant females, regardless of immigration status, are presented to services later and in worse condition than that of the average British-born female. Once they are known to mental health services, it is further hypothesised that referral routes to secondary mental healthcare differ between non-British-born females and British-born females.
The study aims to investigate the differences in the severity of mental health diagnosis and care pathways between foreign-born women and their British-born counterparts from their first access (appointment) to services.
The data used in this study was obtained from the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) system at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. CRIS is a secure, anonymised database of patient records that is used for research purposes. The data was accessed with the permission of the CRIS Oversight Committee, which is responsible for ensuring that the data is used in an ethical and responsible manner. All patients have the right to opt out of their data being used for research purposes. For more information about CRIS, please visit the CRIS website.
This research is funded by the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey, Sussex (NIHR ARC KSS). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.