Suicidal ideation among recently arrived refugees in Germany

Abstract

Background Refugees are considered a high-risk population for developing mental health disorders. Yet little research has been conducted on suicidal ideation among refugees resettled in Western high-income countries. In the present hstudy, suicidal ideation and its association with different socio-demographic, flight-related, and mental health-related factors were analyzed in recently arrived refugees in Germany. Methods The study was conducted in a reception facility for asylum-seekers in Leipzig, where 564 newly arrived adult residents participated. The questionnaire included socio-demographic and flight-related questions as well as standardized instruments for assessing suicidal ideation (item 9 from PHQ-9), a variety of traumatic experiences (LEC-5), posttraumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), depression (PHQ-8), and somatic symptoms (SSS-8). Multiple logistic regression models were run to predict suicidal ideation in relation to different socio-demographic, flight, and mental health-related factors. Results In total, 171 (30.3%) participants who had just or very recently arrived in Germany reported having experienced suicidal ideation within the two weeks prior to being assessed. Those who reported suicidal ideation also reported higher prevalence of somatic symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and experiences of sexual violence, as well as worse self-rated mental and physical health. In addition, there were significant independent associations between suicidal ideation and (1) younger age, (2) longer flight duration, (3) experiences of sexual violence, (4) symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and (5) symptoms of depression. Conclusions The results emphasize the association between suicidal ideation and different clinically relevant mental health symptoms among newly arrived refugees in Germany. Special attention should not only be given to refugees suffering from symptoms of poor mental health, but also to those of younger age as well as refugees who have experienced sexual violence, as they might be affected by suicidal ideation whether or not they suffer from other mental health problems.

Prevalence of suicidality and associated factors of suicide risk in a representative community sample of families in three East African refugee camps

“…The finding that higher levels of psychological distress were significantly related to mothers’ current suicide risk aligns with previous findings suggesting a higher impairment due to mental health problems among female refugees [ 70 – 72 ]. In contrast to previous findings with refugee samples resettled in low- and high-income settings [ 73 – 75 ], PTSD symptoms were not related to mothers and fathers’ current suicide risk. Available evidence suggests that the observed suicide risk in people suffering from PTSD is in part due to co-morbid depression [ 76 ].…”

Affective Depression Mediates PTSD to Suicide in a Sample of Treatment-Seeking First Responders

“…The role of affective depression is crucial because it influences PTSD and suicidality symptoms. 49 Furthermore, somatic depression is an associated factor with the other variables, suggesting that affective depressive symptoms are too high to differentiate the impact or mediation of somatic depression. 48,50 Research shows that affective and somatic depression increase PTSD severity, but affective depression symptoms might account for somatic symptoms.…”

“…In an African American women sample, they found that affective depression mediated PTSD to suicidality but not somatic depression. The role of affective depression is crucial because it influences PTSD and suicidality symptoms 49 . Furthermore, somatic depression is an associated factor with the other variables, suggesting that affective depressive symptoms are too high to differentiate the impact or mediation of somatic depression 48,50 .…”

Incidence of sexual violence among recently arrived asylum-seeking women in France: a retrospective cohort study

“…The prevention of sexual violence (SV) towards asylum-seeking females and the need to care for victims have been prioritized by the UNHCR, 5 particularly because of the morbidities induced by this phenomenon. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 The WHO also reported that females undergoing forced displacement to escape war or persecutions are particularly vulnerable to SV 2 shortly after their arrival in their host country to an extent that has not yet been described in the literature.…”