Mental Health and Traumatization of Newly Arrived Asylum Seeker Adults in Finland
A Population-Based Study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15514715 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ferdinand Garoff (0000-0002-0976-4504, University of Helsinki, corresponding author), Natalia Skogberg (0000-0002-8829-4159, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Antti Klemettilä (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Eero Lilja (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Awa Ahmed Haji Omar (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Olli Snellman (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Anu E Castaneda (University of Helsinki) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 13 |
| Pages | 7160-7160 |
| Publication date | 2021-07-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/ijerph18137160 |
| PMID | 34281097 |
| OpenAlex | W3180441073 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 37 |
Asylum seekers frequently experience potentially traumatic events (PTEs), but the type and frequency vary depending on the country of origin. The cumulative effect of multiple PTEs and other stressors expose asylum seekers to a significant risk of mental ill health. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of PTEs, depression and anxiety symptoms, risk for psychological trauma, psychotropic medication use and previous mental health diagnoses among adult asylum seekers in the Asylum Seekers Health and Wellbeing (TERTTU) Survey ( n = 784 respondents, participation rate 78.6%). A substantial majority (88.7%, 95% CI 86.9-90.3) of asylum seekers reported one or more PTEs before arriving to Finland. PTEs during the asylum-seeking journey were reported at 12.0% (95% CI 10.7-13.4), however, when examined by region of origin, the proportion was 34.5% (95% CI 29.5-39.8) for asylum seekers from Africa (excluding North Africa). Significant symptoms of depression were reported by 41.7% (95% CI 39.6-43.9) of asylum seekers and symptoms of anxiety by 34.2% (95% CI 32.1-36.2). Half of the asylum seekers were assessed as having at least a medium-risk for psychological trauma. Prevalence rates were higher among females and asylum seekers from Africa. This study highlights the importance of using screening tools to identify asylum seekers with severe mental health problems that may need referral to further assessment and treatment. Asylum seekers from Africa (excluding North Africa) should be given additional attention in initial health screenings and examinations
Environmental health · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · Emergency and Acute Care Studies · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
The prevalence of mental illness in refugees and asylum seekers
Predictive Margins with Survey Data
Symptoms of Emotional Distress in a Family Planning Service
The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire
Reducing the stigma of mental illness
Mental Health of Cambodian Refugees 2 Decades After Resettlement in the United States
The Prevalence of Sexual Violence among Female Refugees in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
How to improve the validity of sexual behaviour reporting
Common mental disorders in asylum seekers and refugees
Prevalence of mental ill health, traumas and postmigration stress among refugees from Syria resettled in Sweden after 2011
Mental health care utilisation and access among refugees and asylum seekers in Europe
Association of Torture and Other Potentially Traumatic Events With Mental Health Outcomes Among Populations Exposed to Mass Conflict and Displacement
The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL)
Violence Exposure and Mental Health Among Resettled Refugees
Mental health and trauma in asylum seekers landing in Sicily in 2015
A crisis of protection and safe passage
Traumatic Experiences and Mental Health Risk for Refugees
Depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees – A systematic review and meta-analysis
Continuous traumatic stress
Community interpreters’ experiences of police investigative interviews
The Validity of Screening for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Other Mental Health Problems among Asylum Seekers from Different Countries
War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings
Language barriers between nurses and asylum seekers
Countries and Cultural Differences in the Stigma of Mental Illness
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |