Mental Distress and Psychological Disorders of Syrians in Fragile Syria and Multiple Countries Related to COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Syria has entered its ninth year of crisis which left millions of Syrians suffering from humanitarian crises. This study evaluates the mental health of Syrians living in Syria and who left the country due to war and living in different ten countries as evaluating their condition needs further study, particularly with Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Online questionnaires included SPTSS, K10, MSPSS, demographic, war-and COVID-19-related questions. This study included participants from 10 different countries and they were matched with Syrians according to age and gender as other variables could not be matched due to different standards between countries. Results: This study included 472 participants, of which 214 (45.3%) were males with a mean age of 29.1 ± 7.5). More participants from Syria suffered from reduced ability to earn money (P=0.007), and worried about being unable to provide food from COVID-19 (P=0.007) although they worried less about them getting infected (P=0.041). Participants from Syria declared higher PTSD scores than Syrians living in other countries (P=0.045), mainly among doctors. Interestingly, there was no signi cant difference in social support, days unable to work from distress in the past 4 weeks, and mental distress (K10) between Syrians living in Syria and other countries (P>0.05). Conclusions: Syrians in Syria suffered more than Syrians living in other countries. Providing food and reduced ability to earn were the major stress. They also had more PTSD symptoms and stress than Syrians and others in other countries. Key Points Syrian mental problems in Syria during COVID-19 were mostly from stress that their basic needs will be affected. No different in mental health disorders between Syrians living in different countries.

Refugee Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Review of Global Policy Responses

“… 24 Yet few mental health services catering to the needs of refugees are available or accessible within national health responses. 25 …”

“…24 Yet few mental health services catering to the needs of refugees are available or accessible within national health responses. 25 Fourth, refugees are rarely included within policy decision-making and as active participants in healthcare responses. Several studies highlight the positive contributions that refugees can make to their communities and host societies through their low-paid work in difficult settings, 4 as trained medical workers, 19 and as community leaders and organizers.…”

Arabic adaptation of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale-5 (DAR-5)

“…Given the considerable trauma exposure load experienced by the population, both still residing in Syria and as refugee across the world , it is of critical importance that anger be included as part of assessments for this population. This psychological distress increased further for Syrians in multiple countries due to COVID-19 as PTSD symptoms and mental disorder prevalence grew larger (13).…”