Treatment of mental health problems in refugees and asylum seekers

2018 ◽  
pp. 289-304
Author(s):  
Giulia Cossu ◽  
Antonio Preti ◽  
Mauro Giovanni Carta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Care Process ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Network Support ◽  
War Zones ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Refugees from war zones and asylum seekers are exposed to a wide range of traumas, including persecution, humiliation, gender-based violence, human rights violations, and significant family losses. This results in a statistically higher risk of trauma-related mental disorders. However, refugees and asylum seekers are a heterogeneous population, as far as their gender, age, ethnic, cultural, educational and socio-economic background are concerned. There is no certainty that the Western-centred therapies will be effective in the treatment of the trauma-related mental disorders of refugees and asylum seekers. This chapter summarizes the currently available evidence on the mental health of refugees from war zones and asylum seekers, focusing in particular on the results of randomized controlled trials of psychosocial and other non-conventional interventions applied to refugees and asylum seekers. Culturally sensitive approaches, which activate same-cultural community network support, are more likely to contribute to the effectiveness of the care process.

scholarly journals A Pilot Study of Experience of Gender-Based Violence by Girls with Mental Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-174
Author(s):  
S.E. Retsya ◽  
Z.V. Lukovtseva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Ptsd Scale ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Subjective Significance

Being highly subjective and hard to diagnose, the phenomenon of experiencing of gender-based violence remains insufficiently understood. Finding the nature of such experience in victims with mental disorders appears to be of particular relevance and was chosen as the subject of this research work. It was hypothesized that experience of gender-based violence reflects the negative subjective significance of what happened and is more dramatic in girls with mental health problems than in girls who are mentally healthy. 15 girls with non-psychotic disorders (G.Ye. Sukhareva Center of Mental Health) and 8 mentally healthy girls aged 15-17 have been examined. The following methodologies were used: the Line of Life; Identifying Situations of Gender-Related Violence; Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. It has been established that experiencing gender-based violence by girls with mental disorders is distinguished by increased subjective actuality, acuteness, attainability of spontaneous verbalization and other characteristics. The practical relevance of the data obtained is determined by their applicability in the psychological rehabilitation of mentally diseased girls who have faced gender-based violence.

The plight of women in Iraq: Gender disparity, violence, and mental health

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110036
Author(s):  
Maha Sulaiman Younis ◽  
Riyadh Khudhiar Lafta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Women’S Mental Health ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Women's Mental Health ◽  
Internal Conflicts ◽  
Gender Based

Background: Generations of women living in Iraq endured three major regional wars and internal conflicts, which weakened their psychological vulnerability and social role by poverty, displacements, and loss of their beloved ones. The available literature about women’s mental health is scarce and does not signify the gender inequality and gender disparity of mental disorders. Method: During 1st August to October 2020, we explored the search engines: Google Scholar, Pub-Med, Medline, and Clarivate using keywords of Iraq, gender inequality, women’s mental health, violence, and conflict, mental disorders, gender-based violence, etc. From 1792 research items, 64 articles were scrutinized for this study. We selected the most relevant studies with some available documents excluding data bout Immigrant women outside Iraq and reports from foreign military sources. Finding: Women living in Iraq have struggled for equality and empowerment since the 20th century. For the last four decades, successive wars, economic sanction, gender-based violence, and internal conflicts have affected their development endeavors. The 2003 US-led invasion caused a loss of lives, destruction of infrastructure, and forced displacement for tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children. These atrocities increased women’s vulnerability to develop or worsen the existing mental disorders. This review tries to attract world attention to women’s situations in Iraq.

scholarly journals Gender-based violence and HIV sexual risk behavior: Alcohol use and mental health problems as mediators among women in drinking venues, Cape Town

2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1417-1425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen V. Pitpitan ◽  
Seth C. Kalichman ◽  
Lisa A. Eaton ◽  
Kathleen J. Sikkema ◽  
Melissa H. Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Risk Behavior ◽  
Sexual Risk ◽  
Sexual Risk Behavior ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Hiv Sexual Risk ◽  
Gender Based

scholarly journals Health Status and Health Care Needs of Drought-Related Migrants in the Horn of Africa—A Qualitative Investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5917
Author(s):  
Kristina Lindvall ◽  
John Kinsman ◽  
Atakelti Abraha ◽  
Abdirisak Dalmar ◽  
Mohamed Farah Abdullahi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender

Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, situated in the Horn of Africa, are highly vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself through increasing temperatures, erratic rains and prolonged droughts. Millions of people have to flee from droughts or floods either as cross-border refugees or as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The aim of this study was to identify knowledge status and gaps regarding public health consequences of large-scale displacement in these countries. After a scoping review, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews during 2018 with 39 stakeholders from different disciplines and agencies in these three countries. A validation workshop was held with a selection of 13 interviewees and four project partners. Malnutrition and a lack of vaccination of displaced people are well-known challenges, while mental health problems and gender-based violence (GBV) are less visible to stakeholders. In particular, the needs of IDPs are not well understood. The treatment of mental health and GBV is insufficient, and IDPs have inadequate access to essential health services in refugee camps. Needs assessment and program evaluations with a patients’ perspective are either lacking or inadequate in most situations. The Horn of Africa is facing chronic food insecurity, poor population health and mass displacement. IDPs are an underserved group, and mental health services are lacking. A development approach is necessary that moves beyond emergency responses to the building of long-term resilience, the provision of livelihood support and protection to reduce displacement by droughts.

Intersecting Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Timilsina
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Gender And Sexuality ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Health It ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Gender Based

Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health are well-studied with accolades of literature on each topic; however, their interrelationships have been under-described. Mental Health problems can be result of concurrent or past Sexual and Reproductive Health ill event and vice versa. This article presents intersection between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health based on available literature. Intersections between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health and their impacts can be studied through life course perspective and needs prioritized attention in case of Gender Based Violence and for people living with disability. The article highlights the importance to explore other aspects such as emotions, gender and sexuality associated with Mental Health and to study and understand physiological and psychological context between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health. It also stresses the need of further research on intersection between Mental Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health.

scholarly journals Barriers to Mental Health Help-Seeking Amongst Refugee Men

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulisha Byrow ◽  
Rosanna Pajak ◽  
Tadgh McMahon ◽  
Amitabh Rajouria ◽  
Angela Nickerson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Ptsd Severity

Rates of help-seeking for mental health problems are low amongst refugee communities, despite the high prevalence of PTSD reported amongst these individuals. Research suggests that the key barriers to seeking help for psychological problems include structural barriers (e.g., unstable housing), cultural barriers (e.g., mental health stigma), and barriers specific to refugees and asylum seekers (e.g., visa status). This study examined the effect of structural, cultural and refugee specific barriers on the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and intentions to seek help from professional, social, and community sources. Data was collected from 103 male refugees and asylum seekers with an Arabic-, Farsi-, or Tamil-speaking background. Participants completed measures indexing demographics, trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, mental health stigma, and help-seeking intentions. Path analyses indicated that PTSD severity was associated with lower help-seeking intentions indirectly via mental health stigma (self-stigma for seeking help and self-stigma for PTSD) and visa security. PTSD severity was also associated with greater help-seeking intentions from community members indirectly via structural barriers. These findings are important to consider when identifying key barriers to mental health help-seeking and developing interventions designed to increase help-seeking for psychological problems, within this group.

scholarly journals The Social Determinants of Refugee Mental Health in the Post-Migration Context: A Critical Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Hynie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Refugee Mental Health ◽  
Migration Trauma ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

With the global increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers, mental health professionals have become more aware of the need to understand and respond to the mental health needs of forced migrants. This critical review summarizes the findings of recent systematic reviews and primary research on the impact of post-migration conditions on mental disorders and PTSD among refugees and asylum seekers. Historically, the focus of mental health research and interventions with these populations has been on the impact of pre-migration trauma. Pre-migration trauma does predict mental disorders and PTSD, but the post-migration context can be an equally powerful determinant of mental health. Moreover, post-migration factors may moderate the ability of refugees to recover from pre-migration trauma. The importance of post-migration stressors to refugee mental health suggests the need for therapeutic interventions with psychosocial elements that address the broader conditions of refugee and asylum seekers’ lives. However, there are few studies of multimodal interventions with refugees, and even fewer with control conditions that allow for conclusions about their effectiveness. These findings are interpreted using a social determinants of health framework that connects the risk and protective factors in the material and social conditions of refugees’ post-migration lives to broader social, economic and political factors.

Providing Care for Migrants and Refugees

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S35-S35
Author(s):  
M. Schouler-Ocak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

With growing globalisation and an increasing number of people on the move across boundaries, it has become vital that service providers, policy makers and mental health professionals are aware of the different needs of the patients they are responsible. One of the most fundamental barriers for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in accessing health services are inadequate legal entitlement and, mechanisms for ensuring that they are well known and respected in practice. Access to the healthcare system is impeded by language and cultural communication problems. Qualified language and cultural mediators are not widely available, and moreover, are not regularly asked to attend. This can lead to misunderstandings, misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment, with serious consequences for the afflicted. The language barrier represents one of the main barriers to access to the healthcare system for people who do not speak the local language; indeed, language is the main working tool of psychiatry and psychotherapy, without which successful communication is impossible. Additionally, the lack of health literacy among the staff of institutions, which provide care for refugees and asylum seekers means that there is a lack of knowledge about the main symptoms of common mental health problems among these groups. The healthcare services, which are currently available, are not well prepared for these increasing specific groups. In dealing with ethnic minorities, including asylum seekers and refugees, mental healthcare professionals need to be culturally competent.In this talk, main models for providing mental health care for migrants and refugees will be presented and discussed.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

Refugees and asylum seekers

2021 ◽  
pp. 251-258
Author(s):  
Tom K.J. Craig
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Marked Rise ◽  
Civil Unrest ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Physical Barriers ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

The number of people displaced from their homes as the result of war, civil unrest, and persecution worldwide is now at the highest level on record. Around a fifth make it to affluent Western nations, prompting a marked rise in tension and in efforts to stem the tide by tightening quotas, clamping down on ‘illegals’, and erecting physical barriers. Given the traumas that drive people to flee their homes and the struggles many face in resettlement, it is hardly surprising that there is a high prevalence of mental health problems. While these conditions can be successfully treated using methods known to be effective in non-migrants, the interventions typically rely on expert therapists delivering a Westernized model of therapy. More research is needed to develop and test effective interventions that could be delivered by a much broader workforce, including those in the developing countries where the majority of refugees remain.

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