Mental Health of Immigrants and Refugees

Unit Code

00401

Department/Institution Offering Unit

The Centre for International Mental Health
School of Population Health
University of Melbourne
Room 532 Level 5, 207 Bouverie Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053 Australia

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

top of page

Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Associate Professor Harry Minas
The Centre for International Mental Health
School of Population Health
University of Melbourne
Level 5, 207 Bouverie Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053 Australia

tel: +61 3 8344 9104
fax: +61 3 9348 2794
email:h.minas@unimelb.edu.au

top of page

Overall Objectives

This course introduces the student to issues relevant to mental health of immigrants and refugees, and the relationships between mental health and culture, language and the migration process. It explores theoretical and practical problems of study design and data-gathering across different language and cultural groups and provides training in qualititative or quantitative research methodologies (depending on the research project selected) appropriate for dealing appropriately with these research problems.

top of page

Content

Coursework: Coursework will be limited to undertaking the research methods training provided in either Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics or Qualitative Health Research units (depending on the needs of the research project undertaken).

Research: The research project will be in the general field of mental health of immigrants and refugees.
Projects may include any of the following types:

• social and cultural factors affecting mental health
• culture and illness behaviour
• communication issues in mental health assessment and treatment
• development and validation of culturally appropriate mental health assessment methods

Students may carry out research either in community or clinical settings. They may develop a specific project that will form a part of an existing research project or program.
Fieldwork and Analysis: the student will be required to keep a detailed fieldwork diary. Emerging issues and difficulties will be discussed with the supervisor during the fieldwork period. Through the diary notes and discussion with the supervisor the student will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of relevant ethical and methodological considerations related to the conduct of the project. In addition to the data generated by the project, these fieldwork notes will be an important source for the writing of the project report. The student will be required to undertake basic statistical analyses under supervision. The student will be required to become proficient in data management methods (e.g. construction of a database, data entry, data checking, etc. for quantitative projects), to demonstrate initiative in undertaking analyses using methods that were previously taught, and to demonstrate a capcity to learn analytic methods (qualitative or quantitative) in the course of data exploration and interpretation.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Development of mental health promotion programs for specific ethnocultural groups
2. Risk factors for mental disorders in immigrants and refugees
3. Risk of suicide in elderly immigrants
4. The effect of stigma on pathways to care people with mental illness from different cultural groups
5. Influence of practice guidelines in the mental health care of immigrant patients
6. Qualitative analysis of the interpreted psychiatric interview
7. The use of primary care for treatment of mental illness by different cultural groups

top of page

Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 100%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Qualitative Health Research will be assessed as per subject descriptions

top of page

Student Numbers

Number of places available:
5