Citation

Metzner F, Schwinn A, Mösko M, Pawils S. Gesundheitswesen 2015; 77(10): 742-748.

Vernacular Title

Familien mit Migrationshintergrund als Zielgruppe in den Frühen Hilfen: Ergebnisse eines Sozialen Frühwarnsystems einer Metropolregion.

Affiliation

Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

10.1055/s-0035-1548881

PMID

25985223

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Families with migrant backgrounds (MB) are exposed to several psychosocial risk factors that increase the likelihood of impaired child development, in particular. Questions: We investigated whether families with MB differ from families without MB regarding their psychosocial stressors in the period of pregnancy and birth.

METHOD: As part of a social early warning system in an obstetrics clinic in Germany n=502 families with MB were compared with n=349 families without MB with respect to the degree of stress and stress factors on the basis of an initial screening of risk factors for child maltreatment by a midwife or physician and a subsequent structured clearing interview by social education workers during the mothers' inpatient hospitalisation.

RESULTS: For families without MB, a significantly higher total score was found in the risk screening (M=3,9 points vs. M=2,9 points) in comparison to families with MB. While families with MB compared to families without MB were faced more frequently by social stressors, e. g., financial problems or a difficult housing situation (81 vs. 37%), they were less frequently impacted by mental strain (27 vs. 48%), young fathers (2 vs. 10%) and maternal psychiatric diseases (3 vs. 17%), according to the risk screening. Socio-economic determinants such as social inclusion and living environment were found to be important factors influencing the psychosocial stress level of families.

CONCLUSION: Explanations and implications for research and practice are discussed.

Language: de