[Psychosocial problems and mental disorders among immigrants of German origin].

OBJECTIVE

The number of ethnic German immigrants from former East bloc countries (Aussiedler) has considerably increased during the past 20 years. However, studies on the frequency of psychiatric disorders or on psychosocial risk factors for psychiatric morbidity in this partially inhomogenous population group are remarkably rare.

METHOD: We undertook a comprehensive research of the current literature to gain the first systematic review on this issue.

RESULTS

The most frequent mental disorders among these special group of migrants were depressive disorders, adjustment disorders with brief depressive reactions as well as somatoform disorders, alcoholism and drug dependency.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnic German immigrants are a risk group for mental disorders.