Association between pain and mental health among undocumented immigrants in France

Abstract Purpose. Undocumented immigrants often face mental health issues and multisite pain. Links between pain and mental health have been described however not among undocumented immigrants in France. Describing these associations supports further research on the mental health of this population, especially when no cause can explain the pain. The main objective of this study was to analyze associations between pain and mental health among undocumented immigrants in France. Methods. We drew from the data collected in the multicentric cross-sectional “Premier Pas” study carried out in the Parisian and Bordeaux region between February and April 2019. Undocumented immigrants over the age of 18 were included from sixty-three sites. Participants were asked about their mental health and whether they were experiencing pain. Associations were explored using univariate and multivariate analysis with logistic regression models. Results. Among 1188 research participants, our results showed associations between pain and mental health: musculoskeletal pain with sleep disorder and abdominal pain with anxiety and sleep disorder. Also, social determinants of health such as the duration of residence in France, housing conditions or food insecurity were associated with different types of pain. Conclusion. This study is the first to document the existence of associations between pain experienced by undocumented immigrants in France and their mental health. It provides a new contribution to the French literature and evidence for clinicians to investigate the mental health ofundocumented immigrants experiencing pain.