ArticleBMJ mental health2024
Exploring early discontinuation of mental health outpatient treatment: language, demographics and clinical characteristics among migrant populations in Japan.
Article in BMJ mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Psychological Experiences and Support Needs of Volunteer Psychiatric Interpreters in Japan: A Qualitative Study.Cureus · 2025Article
- Help-seeking for depression among Vietnamese migrant workers in Japan and factors related to their intentions to seek help from a psychiatrist: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2025Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe fast-growing migrant population in Japan and globally poses challenges in mental healthcare, yet research addressing migrants' mental health treatment engagement remains limited.
objectiveThis study examined language proficiency, demographic and clinical characteristics as predictors of early treatment discontinuation among migrants.
methodsElectronic health record data from 196 adult migrants, identified from 14 511 patients who received mental health outpatient treatment during 2016 and 2019 at three central hospitals in the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan region of Japan, were used. We conducted multivariable regression models to identify predictors of early discontinuation within 3 months.
findingsThe study cohort (65% women, age range: 18-90 years, from 29 countries or regions) included 23% non-Japanese speakers. Japanese and non-Japanese speakers had similar discontinuation rates (26% vs 22%). Multivariable models revealed younger age (OR=0.97; 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99; p=0.016) and those with a primary diagnosis other than a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (OR=3.99; 95% CI: 1.36, 11.77; p=0.012) or a neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorder (OR=2.79; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.84; p=0.025) had higher odds of early discontinuation. These effects were more pronounced among the Japanese speakers with significant language-by-age and language-by-diagnoses interactions.
conclusionYounger age and having a primary diagnosis other than a schizophrenia spectrum disorder or a neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorder increased vulnerability for discontinuing mental health treatment early in Japanese-speaking migrants but not for migrants with limited Japanese proficiency. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Understanding language needs within a context of mental health treatment should go beyond assumed or observed fluency. Unmet language needs might increase vulnerability for treatment disengagement among migrants. Targeted clinical efforts are crucial for enhancing early treatment engagement and informing health practices in Japan and countries with growing migrant populations.
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