Mental Disorders in Refugees: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Henkelmann, Jens-R; Best, Sanne de; Deckers, Carla; Jensen, Katarina; Shahab, Mona; Elzinga, Bernet M.; Molendijk, Marc L.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3471994

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…There are, however, differences within the immigrant population. For instance, refugees are at higher risk of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than non-refugees (14). Immigrants from Middle Eastern countries and former Yugoslavia have both a higher prevalence of self-reported and diagnosed mental disorders (e.g., 15,16,17), whereas immigrants from Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe seem to have lower prevalence (18-20).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

WITHDRAWN: Disparities in Somatic Comorbidities among Immigrants and Norwegians with and without Mental Disorders. A National Register Study

Hynek

Straiton

Abebe

2022

Preprint

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Background: Comorbidity between mental disorders and somatic diseases is well-documented. At the same time there are large differences in the prevalence of both mental disorders and somatic diseases such as cardiovascular (CVDs), tumours, metabolic and infectious diseases between immigrants and majority populations in receiving countries. However, whether the comorbidity of mental disorders and somatic diseases differs across immigrant groups and the majority population is currently unclear. This study aimed to explore inequalities in the risk relationship between mental disorder and twenty-two somatic diseases, with differences in these associations between the Norwegians, and eight immigrant groups being of particular interest. Methods: This national register study uses information from 3 142 925 Norwegian residents aged 18+ on any diagnosed mental disorder and twenty-two somatic diseases for years 2008-2016, extracted from the Norwegian Patient Registry and linked with demographic information from National Population Registry. Poisson regression models were used to study the association between mental disorder and each of the twenty-two somatic diseases, divided into CVDs, endocrine and metabolic diseases, cancers, infectious and skin diseases. Differences in risk between Norwegians and eight immigrant groups were investigated by introducing interactions between mental disorder and immigrant background to the analysis and were presented as marginal probabilities.Results: Overall, immigrants had a lower or similar risk of the investigated somatic diseases compared to Norwegians, regardless of any diagnosed mental disorder. However, for CVDs, diabetes mellitus and infectious and skin diseases, the relative differences compared to Norwegians were greater among some immigrant groups with mental disorder than those without, i.e., particularly Sub-Saharan African immigrants.Conclusion: To reduce comorbid inequalities between immigrants and Norwegians, a particular focus should be given to somatic diseases such as CVDs, diabetes, and infectious and skin diseases which often cooccur with mental disorders. However, it is important to recognize the probability of underestimation of the studied associations due to lower use of specialist healthcare services among immigrants, and for mental disorders in particular. Future research should aim to investigate the reasons for such inequalities in comorbidity between immigrants and non-immigrants.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

WITHDRAWN: Disparities in Somatic Comorbidities among Immigrants and Norwegians with and without Mental Disorders. A National Register Study

Hynek

Straiton

Abebe

2022

Preprint

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“…In their home countries, during their flights to safe places, and after arriving at countries of refuge, they can experience stressful or traumatic events [ 5 ]. Refugees, therefore, belong to a population affected by an increased prevalence of mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders, compared to the general population [ 6 , 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, PTSD is a mental illness that can develop after experiencing an “extremely threatening or horrific event” [ 8 ] and affects, on average, 30% of the refugee population [ 6 , 7 ]. The condition impacts many aspects of life, especially participation in social life, and is associated with a lower quality of life [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of and Coping with Post-Traumatic Symptoms of Refugees in Temporary Accommodations in Germany: A Qualitative Analysis

Rzepka

Zehetmair

Roether

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Due to pre-, peri- and post-migratory stress factors, refugees often experience higher levels of psychological stress than the general population. Post-traumatic stress disorder, in particular, has an increased prevalence in the refugee population. However, living conditions in the early post-migratory phase are characterized by many challenges. In the present qualitative study, 14 refugees with symptoms of PTSD from temporary accommodations in Germany were interviewed in semi-structured interviews about their individual experiences of the impact of their trauma sequelae symptoms on their current living conditions and interactions. Participants reported dealing with post-traumatic symptoms primarily through distraction strategies, such as working or learning the language or social interaction. Many reported a sense of mistrust as a result of traumatic experiences. Current stress factors cited included uncertain asylum status, worry about family members and lack of ability to influence living situations. The interactions between the post-traumatic symptoms and the living conditions of the refugees were highlighted. The effects of the symptomatology of trauma sequelae and the framework conditions under which refugees live can lead to aggravated psychological distress. Therefore, special attention must be paid to refugee mental health care.

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“…Not surprisingly, the prevalence of mental health problems in refugees is high (4,5). Mood and anxiety disorders are often reported, even years after resettlement (6,7), indicating a high and persisting mental burden in refugees. The effects of violence and persecution go beyond fear-related reactions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of morally injurious events in a refugee sample: A quantitative and qualitative study

2022

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BackgroundPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often reported by refugees that faced violence and persecution. Some stressful events may also entail moral conflicts or dilemmas, described as “potentially morally injurious events” (PMIE). Very few studies have yet investigated the nature of these PMIEs in traumatized refugees, using both quantitative and qualitative data.MethodFor this retrospective study, secondary data analysis was used to examine the traumatic events of 183 patients. Based on established definitions of a PMIE, participants were allocated to a Moral Injury (MI) group if they reported lasting distress after exposure to an event of which they indicated that it transgressed their moral beliefs. The remaining participants were allocated to the No-MI group. The type of PMIEs was categorized using qualitative analysis. The groups were compared in terms of PTSD severity, feelings of guilt, and general mental health symptoms.ResultsOf the total sample, 55 participants reported one or more acts of transgression (MI group) and 128 reported no acts of transgression (No-MI group). Analyses of PMIEs revealed six themes 1) failing to prevent harm to others, 2) not giving aid to people in need, 3) leaving family members behind that consequently lead to injury or death of others, 4) making indirect and direct moral decisions leading to injury or death of others, 5) betrayal, and 6) engaging in the harm of others. No differences were found between groups on the clinical outcomes, except for feelings of guilt.ConclusionA considerable number of traumatized refugees reported confrontation with PMIEs. Experiencing PMIEs appeared unrelated to elevated posttraumatic mental health issues.

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Mental Disorders in Refugees: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

WITHDRAWN: Disparities in Somatic Comorbidities among Immigrants and Norwegians with and without Mental Disorders. A National Register Study

WITHDRAWN: Disparities in Somatic Comorbidities among Immigrants and Norwegians with and without Mental Disorders. A National Register Study

Impact of and Coping with Post-Traumatic Symptoms of Refugees in Temporary Accommodations in Germany: A Qualitative Analysis

The impact of morally injurious events in a refugee sample: A quantitative and qualitative study

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