Trajectories of health-related quality of life in immigrants and non-immigrants in Germany: a population-based longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: Due to a lack of longitudinal studies on health in immigrants, the purpose of the present study is to investigate trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in immigrants and non-immigrants in Germany by considering the impact of immigration-related factors. METHODS: Based on longitudinal SOEP data from 2002 to 2012, the trajectories of the mental (MCS) and physical component (PCS) of HRQoL (assessed with SF-12v2) were analyzed in 8546 subjects, including 1064 immigrants by conducting hierarchical linear models. RESULTS: MCS remains stable over time, whereas PCS shows a decrease, influenced by increasing age. There were no differences between immigrants and non-immigrants concerning PCS trajectories as well as no influence of immigration-related factors on it. In contrast, MCS trajectories were influenced by immigration-related factors: 2nd-generation immigrants, participants from Turkey or Southern Europe and those who immigrated at young age show a slight decrease in MCS over time. CONCLUSIONS: The results show negative association between MCS and time in different groups of immigrants. Future research is needed for better conceptualization of the complex interplay between health and migration over time to identify subgroups at greater risk for mental distress.

[The OPD structure questionnaire captures the general features of personality disorder]. / Der OPD-Strukturfragebogen erfasst die allgemeinen Merkmale einer Persönlichkeitsstörung.

INTRODUCTION: The alternative DSM-5 model of personality disorder (PD) links general criteria and severity of PD to impairments in self and interpersonal functioning. This approach is very similar to the Level of Structural Impairment Axis of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis (OPD-2). In this study we investigate the relationship of these 2 approaches based on 2 new self-report questionnaires. METHODS: 228 psychotherapeutic inpatients filled out the OPD Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQ), the General Assessment of Personality Disorder (GAPD), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D). RESULTS: The correlation between the latent general factors of OPD-SQ and GAPD was 0,91. After controlling for depressive symptoms the correlation was 0,86. DISCUSSION: The general factors of the OPD-SQ and the GAPD are almost identical. CONCLUSION: The OPD-SQ captures the general features of PD in terms of self-reported impairments in self and interpersonal functioning.