A systematic review of qualitative research on the physical and mental health impacts of immigration detention on asylum seekers and refugees
Dados Bibliográficos
| ID | 19592159 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Bafreen Sherif (0009-0009-7302-3813), Debbie C Hocking (0000-0003-0313-3637), Susan Ree (0000-0003-2845-6547), Letizia M Affaticati (0009-0000-8464-1080), Suresh Sundram (0000-0002-9674-0227) |
| Editores | Claire J Standley Claire J Standley |
| Ano | 2025 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Fascículo | 10 |
| Páginas | e0005196 |
| Data de publicação | 2025-10-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sim |
| Open Access | Sim |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Periódico | PLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores do periódico | ISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375 |
| Editora | Public Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005196 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referências citadas | 67 |
Globally, the number of refugees and asylum seekers has reached unprecedented levels, prompting many host countries to adopt immigration detention as a strategy to deter unauthorised arrivals. While previous studies have largely used quantitative methods to examine the consequences of detention, this is the first qualitative systematic review synthesising evidence on the impact of immigration detention on the mental and physical health of adult and child asylum seekers and refugees (ASR) in middle- to high-income host countries. A systematic search of medical, allied health, and social science databases and grey literature was conducted between December 2021 and October 2024 (Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, APA PsycARTICLES, Social Policy and Practice, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Open Grey). Reference lists of included studies were also screened. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022328867). Study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction were performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Of 2,512 records identified, 564 full texts were assessed, and 20 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 374 adults and 139 children with current or past detention experiences, with detention durations ranging from two weeks to 38 months. Thematic synthesis revealed five overarching themes: human rights violations within detention; systemic failures of healthcare provision and resultant vulnerability; adverse health impacts of detention; changes in self-concept, relationships, and worldview after release; and enduring negative consequences for mental and physical health. Findings highlight that immigration detention uniformly undermines the health and well-being of ASR, with effects persisting long after release. This review underscores the urgent need for health and human rights to be central considerations in migration policy and practice
Deter, Detain, Dehumanise
The Psychosocial Effects of Torture, Mass Human Rights Violations, and Refugee Trauma
The prevalence of mental illness in refugees and asylum seekers
Longitudinal Study of Psychiatric Symptoms, Disability, Mortality, and Emigration Among Bosnian Refugees
Prevalence of serious mental disorder in 7000 refugees resettled in western countries
The Relationship Between Post-Migration Stress and Psychological Disorders in Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Anxiety, depression and PTSD in asylum-seekers
Policies of Deterrence and the Mental Health of Asylum Seekers
Methods for the synthesis of qualitative research
Mental health implications of detaining asylum seekers
Worked examples of alternative methods for the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research in systematic reviews
Cautious Citizenship
Postmigration Living Problems and Common Psychiatric Disorders in Iraqi Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands
Association of Torture and Other Potentially Traumatic Events With Mental Health Outcomes Among Populations Exposed to Mass Conflict and Displacement
Measuring the health impact of human rights violations related to Australian asylum policies and practices
Why Immigration Detention is Unique
Immigration Detention in the Community
Narrative integration of identity following trauma Life-stories of immigrants granted asylum in Australia following prolonged detention
The Impact of Detention on the Health of Asylum Seekers
The deportation machine
The Impact of Local Immigration Enforcement Policies on the Health of Immigrant Hispanics/Latinos in the United States
Mechanisms by Which Anti-Immigrant Stigma Exacerbates Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities
Asylum-seeking children’s experiences of detention in Canada
I feel like I am less than other people
Policing Us Sick
The meaning and mental health consequences of long-term immigration detention for people seeking asylum
The impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigrant health
Pushing them to the edge
The violence of uncertainty
Two year psychosocial and mental health outcomes for refugees subjected to restrictive or supportive immigration policies
No Refuge from Terror
| Velocidade de citação | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | Não |