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Baumgartner JS, Renner A, Wochele-Thoma T, Wehle P, Barbui C, Purgato M, Tedeschi F, Tarsitani L, Roselli V, Acartürk C, Uygun E, Anttila M, Lantta T, Välimäki M, Churchill R, Walker L, Sijbrandij M, Cuijpers P, Koesters M, Klein T, White RG, Aichberger MC, Wancata J. Impairments in psychological functioning in refugees and asylum seekers. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1295031. [PMID: 38259575 PMCID: PMC10801113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1295031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Refugees are at increased risk for developing psychological impairments due to stressors in the pre-, peri- and post-migration periods. There is limited knowledge on how everyday functioning is affected by migration experience. In a secondary analysis of a study in a sample of refugees and asylum seekers, it was examined how aspects of psychological functioning were differentially affected. 1,101 eligible refugees and asylum seekers in Europe and Türkiye were included in a cross-sectional analysis. Gender, age, education, number of relatives and children living nearby, as well as indicators for depressive and posttraumatic symptoms, quality of life, psychological well-being and functioning, and lifetime potentially traumatic events were assessed. Correlations and multiple regression models with World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) 12-item version's total and six subdomains' scores ('mobility', 'life activities', 'cognition', 'participation', 'self-care', 'getting along') as dependent variables were calculated. Tests for multicollinearity and Bonferroni correction were applied. Participants reported highest levels of impairment in 'mobility' and 'participation', followed by 'life activities' and 'cognition'. Depression and posttraumatic symptoms were independently associated with overall psychological functioning and all subdomains. History of violence and abuse seemed to predict higher impairment in 'participation', while past events of being close to death were associated with fewer issues with 'self-care'. Impairment in psychological functioning in asylum seekers and refugees was related to current psychological symptoms. Mobility and participation issues may explain difficulties arising after resettlement in integration and exchange with host communities in new contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef S. Baumgartner
- Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonia Renner
- Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Peter Wehle
- Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Psychosocial Services in Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Corrado Barbui
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marianna Purgato
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico Tedeschi
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Tarsitani
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Roselli
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ceren Acartürk
- Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Koc University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ersin Uygun
- Emergency and Disaster Management, Vocational School of Health Services, Bilgi University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Minna Anttila
- Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tella Lantta
- Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Maritta Välimäki
- Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rachel Churchill
- Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Walker
- Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- School of Health and Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Marit Sijbrandij
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Pim Cuijpers
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Markus Koesters
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy ll, District Hospital Guenzburg, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Klein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy ll, District Hospital Guenzburg, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ross G. White
- Institute of Population Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Marion C. Aichberger
- Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Wancata
- Clinical Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Neyazi A, Padhi BK, Mohammadi AQ, Ahmadi M, Erfan A, Bashiri B, Neyazi M, Ishaqzada M, Noormohammadi M, Griffiths MD. Depression, anxiety and quality of life of Afghan women living in urban areas under the Taliban government: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071939. [PMID: 37536972 PMCID: PMC10401256 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES According to the World Health Organization, depression is a common mental health illness that is characterised by a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. The present study examined the association of two mental health variables (ie, depression, anxiety) with quality of life (QoL) and the sociodemographic characteristics of Afghan women living in urban areas under the rule of Taliban government in Afghanistan. DESIGN Cross-sectional study administered between 10 November 2021 to 25 December 2021 among women. SETTING Across major provinces of Afghanistan (Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kabul and Samangan). MEASUREMENTS Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Data entry was carried out using Microsoft Excel 2016. And then exported to IBM SPSS V.26 for Microsoft Windows. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of depression, anxiety with QoL and sociodemographic characteristics among women (N=438). RESULTS The prevalence of depression symptoms was 80.4%, and the prevalence of mild to extremely severe anxiety was 81.0%. Depression symptoms among Afghan women were associated with being older, having more children, lower education level, other individuals' bad behaviour, bad events experienced in the past month, and feeling physically ill. Multiple regression analysis indicated that low monthly household income (adjusted OR, AOR 2.260; 95% CI 1.179 to 4.331, p=0.014) poor physical domain of QoL (AOR 4.436; 95% CI 1.748 to 11.256, p=0.002) and poor psychological domain of QoL (AOR 23.499; 95% CI 7.737 to 71.369, p<0.001) were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSION The prevalence of depression was high among women living under the government of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Considering the high prevalence of depression, anxiety and their impact on QoL and the overall quality of healthcare services, international health organisations should implement programmes for regular screening of depression and anxiety, and there should be psychological counselling services available for vulnerable women living under the government of the Taliban.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Neyazi
- Afghanistan Center for Epidemiological Studies, Herat, Afghanistan
| | - Bijaya K Padhi
- Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Mahsa Ahmadi
- Department of Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Adiba Erfan
- Afghanistan Medical Students Association, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
| | - Bahara Bashiri
- Afghanistan Medical Students Association, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
| | - Mehrab Neyazi
- Atefi Institute of Health Sciences, Herat, Afghanistan
| | | | | | - Mark D Griffiths
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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Purgato M, Turrini G, Tedeschi F, Serra R, Tarsitani L, Compri B, Muriago G, Cadorin C, Ostuzzi G, Nicaise P, Lorant V, Sijbrandij M, Witteveen AB, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Mediavilla R, Haro JM, Felez-Nobrega M, Figueiredo N, Pollice G, McDaid D, Park AL, Kalisch R, Petri-Romão P, Underhill J, Bryant RA, Nosè M, Barbui C. Effectiveness of a stepped-care programme of WHO psychological interventions in migrant populations resettled in Italy: Study protocol for the RESPOND randomized controlled trial. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1100546. [PMID: 36761135 PMCID: PMC9905848 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1100546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Migrant populations, including workers, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, internationally displaced persons, and other populations on the move, are exposed to a variety of stressors and potentially traumatic events before, during, and after the migration process. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has represented an additional stressor, especially for migrants on the move. As a consequence, migration may increase vulnerability of individuals toward a worsening of subjective wellbeing, quality of life, and mental health, which, in turn, may increase the risk of developing mental health conditions. Against this background, we designed a stepped-care programme consisting of two scalable psychological interventions developed by the World Health Organization and locally adapted for migrant populations. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this stepped-care programme will be assessed in terms of mental health outcomes, resilience, wellbeing, and costs to healthcare systems. Methods and analysis We present the study protocol for a pragmatic randomized study with a parallel-group design that will enroll participants with a migrant background and elevated level of psychological distress. Participants will be randomized to care as usual only or to care a usual plus a guided self-help stress management guide (Doing What Matters in Times of Stress, DWM) and a five-session cognitive behavioral intervention (Problem Management Plus, PM+). Participants will self-report all measures at baseline before random allocation, 2 weeks after DWM delivery, 1 week after PM+ delivery and 2 months after PM+ delivery. All participants will receive a single-session of a support intervention, namely Psychological First Aid. We will include 212 participants. An intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed models will be conducted to explore the programme's effect on anxiety and depression symptoms, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety and Depression Scale summary score 2 months after PM+ delivery. Secondary outcomes include post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, resilience, quality of life, resource utilization, cost, and cost-effectiveness. Discussion This study is the first randomized controlled trial that combines two World Health Organization psychological interventions tailored for migrant populations with an elevated level of psychological distress. The present study will make available DWM/PM+ packages adapted for remote delivery following a task-shifting approach, and will generate evidence to inform policy responses based on a more efficient use of resources for improving resilience, wellbeing and mental health. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04993534.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Purgato
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Turrini
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico Tedeschi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Riccardo Serra
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Tarsitani
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Beatrice Compri
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Muriago
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Camilla Cadorin
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ostuzzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Pablo Nicaise
- Institute of Health and Society (IRSS) - UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vincent Lorant
- Institute of Health and Society (IRSS) - UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marit Sijbrandij
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anke B. Witteveen
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - José Luis Ayuso-Mateos
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry, La Princesa University Hospital, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Princesa (IIS-Princesa), Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Mediavilla
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario La Paz (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Josep Maria Haro
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Felez-Nobrega
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natasha Figueiredo
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, ERES, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Pollice
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, ERES, Paris, France
| | - David McDaid
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - A-La Park
- Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - Raffael Kalisch
- Neuroimaging Center (NIC), Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | - Richard A. Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michela Nosè
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Corrado Barbui
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Long-term effectiveness of Self-Help Plus in refugees and asylum seekers resettled in Western Europe: 12-month outcomes of a randomised controlled trial. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2022; 31:e39. [PMID: 35674122 PMCID: PMC9220789 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796022000269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS As refugees and asylum seekers are at high risk of developing mental disorders, we assessed the effectiveness of Self-Help Plus (SH + ), a psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization, in reducing the risk of developing any mental disorders at 12-month follow-up in refugees and asylum seekers resettled in Western Europe. METHODS Refugees and asylum seekers with psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12 ⩾ 3) but without a mental disorder according to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) were randomised to either SH + or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU). The frequency of mental disorders at 12 months was measured with the M.I.N.I., while secondary outcomes included self-identified problems, psychological symptoms and other outcomes. RESULTS Of 459 participants randomly assigned to SH + or ETAU, 246 accepted to be interviewed at 12 months. No difference in the frequency of any mental disorders was found (relative risk [RR] = 0.841; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.389-1.819; p-value = 0.659). In the per protocol (PP) population, that is in participants attending at least three group-based sessions, SH + almost halved the frequency of mental disorders at 12 months compared to ETAU, however so few participants and events contributed to this analysis that it yielded a non-significant result (RR = 0.528; 95% CI 0.180-1.544; p-value = 0.230). SH + was associated with improvements at 12 months in psychological distress (p-value = 0.004), depressive symptoms (p-value = 0.011) and wellbeing (p-value = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The present study failed to show any long-term preventative effect of SH + in refugees and asylum seekers resettled in Western European countries. Analysis of the PP population and of secondary outcomes provided signals of a potential effect of SH + in the long-term, which would suggest the value of exploring the effects of booster sessions and strategies to increase SH + adherence.
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Mesa-Vieira C, Haas AD, Buitrago-Garcia D, Roa-Diaz ZM, Minder B, Gamba M, Salvador D, Gomez D, Lewis M, Gonzalez-Jaramillo WC, Pahud de Mortanges A, Buttia C, Muka T, Trujillo N, Franco OH. Mental health of migrants with pre-migration exposure to armed conflict: a systematic review and meta-analysis. THE LANCET PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 7:e469-e481. [DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(22)00061-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
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Tarsitani L, Della Rocca B, Pancheri C, Biondi M, Pasquini M, Ferracuti S, Ventriglio A, Mandarelli G. Involuntary psychiatric hospitalization among migrants in Italy: A matched sample study. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2022; 68:429-434. [PMID: 33719677 DOI: 10.1177/00207640211001903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immigrants in Europe appear to be at higher risk of psychiatric coercive interventions. Involuntary psychiatric hospitalization poses significant ethical and clinical challenges. Nonetheless, reasons for migration and other risk factors for involuntary treatment were rarely addressed in previous studies. The aims of this study are to clarify whether immigrant patients with acute mental disorders are at higher risk to be involuntarily admitted to hospital and to explore clinical and migratory factors associated with involuntary treatment. METHODS In this cross-sectional matched sample study, we compared the rates of involuntary treatment in a sample of first-generation immigrants admitted in a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit of a large metropolitan academic hospital to their age-, gender-, and psychiatric diagnosis-matched native counterparts. Clinical, sociodemographic, and migratory variables were collected. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-expanded (BPRS-E) and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale were administered. McNemar test was used for paired categorical variables and a binary logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS A total of 234 patients were included in the analysis. Involuntary treatment rates were significantly higher in immigrants as compared to their matched natives (32% vs. 24% respectively; p < .001). Among immigrants, involuntary hospitalization was found to be more frequent in those patients whose length of stay in Italy was less than 2 years (OR = 4.2, 95% CI [1.4-12.7]). CONCLUSION Recently arrived immigrants appear to be at higher risk of involuntary admission. Since coercive interventions can be traumatic and negatively affect outcomes, strategies to prevent this phenomenon are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Tarsitani
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Bianca Della Rocca
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Corinna Pancheri
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Biondi
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Pasquini
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Ferracuti
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Ventriglio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Italy
| | - Gabriele Mandarelli
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
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Hess RF, Croasmun AC, Pittman C, Baird MB, Ross R. Psychological Distress, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Suicidal Ideation Among Resettled Nepali-Speaking Bhutanese Refugees in the United States: Rates and Predictors. J Transcult Nurs 2022; 33:314-323. [PMID: 35100889 DOI: 10.1177/10436596211070599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bhutanese refugees may exhibit psychological distress (PD), post-traumatic stress (PTS), and suicidal ideation (SI), but little is known about predictors of these mental health problems. PURPOSE To examine rates and predictors of PD, PTS, and SI among Bhutanese refugees. METHODS Cross-sectional correlational study of 209 Bhutanese refugees in Midwestern United States. Data were collected using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist/Nepali version and Refugee Health Screener-15/PTS subscale and then analyzed using simultaneous multiple regression. RESULTS Rates of PD, PTS, and SI were 18.7%, 8.1%, and 7.7%, respectively. Significant predictors of PD were a history of mental health treatment (p<.001) and fewer years of schooling (p = .032). Predictors of PTS were history of mental health treatment (p<.001), female gender (p = .016), fewer years of schooling (p = .012), and being single/previously married (p = .004). PTS predicted SI (ρ<.001). DISCUSSION Health providers should routinely assess Bhutanese refugees' mental health status for timely further assessment and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ratchneewan Ross
- University of North Carolina Greensboro, USA/University of Louisville, KY, USA
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