Abstract Foreign-born migrants are at elevated risk for developing serious forms of mental illness, and are over-represented in criminal justice and forensic mental health settings. This study compares the clinical characteristics of forced (n = 60) and voluntary (n = 226) migrant patients in a Canadian forensic service to native-born patients (n = 234), and contrasts regions of birth represented in the current sample to the total adult migrant population in our catchment city (N = 2,537,410). Compared to Canadian-born patients, migrant patients were more likely to have a later-onset psychotic disorder as their only diagnosis, and less likely to have a personality disorder diagnosis. Migrant patients had more familial supports prior to illness onset, but were socially isolated near the time of forensic admission. Compared to the total adult migrant population, higher proportions of Caribbean, Central American, Eastern and Western African persons were represented in the forensic system, while fewer individuals from East and South Asia were represented. There was no effect of migrancy status on the duration of forensic hospitalization or community supervision. Findings suggest disproportionate minority representation among users of forensic services, and highlight what may be ineffective pathways to adequate mental health care among certain migrant groups.

中文翻译：

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法医精神卫生保健中的自愿和强迫移民

摘要外国出生的移民罹患严重精神疾病的风险较高，并且在刑事司法和法医精神卫生领域的人数过多。这项研究比较了加拿大法医服务中的强制性（n = 60）和自愿性（n = 226）移徙患者与本地出生的患者（n = 234）的临床特征，并将当前样本中的出生区域与我们集水城市的成年移民总数（N = 2,537,410）。与加拿大出生的患者相比，移民患者更有可能将迟发性精神病作为他们的唯一诊断，而对人格障碍的诊断则较少。移徙患者在发病之前有更多的家庭支持，但在法医入院时被社会隔离。与成年移民总数相比，法医系统中加勒比，中美洲，东非和西非人的比例更高，而东亚和南亚的人数则更少。移民身份对法医住院或社区监督的持续时间没有影响。调查结果表明，在法医服务使用者中，少数族裔所占比例过高，并强调了某些移民群体中可能无法有效获得充分心理保健的途径。移民身份对法医住院或社区监督的持续时间没有影响。调查结果表明，在法医服务使用者中，少数族裔所占比例过高，并强调了某些移民群体中可能无法有效获得充分心理保健的途径。移民身份对法医住院或社区监督的持续时间没有影响。调查结果表明，在法医服务使用者中，少数族裔所占比例过高，并强调了某些移民群体中可能无法有效获得充分心理保健的途径。