Refugee Mental Health—An Urgent Call for Research and Action

Saadi, Altaf; Al‐Rousan, Tala; AlHeresh, Rawan

doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2543

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…With our findings and WFOT (2019) guidelines, occupational therapists can enable optimal participation in daily occupations while considering collective occupations among groups. Many calls for action have been published, encouraging more research in addressing needs of refugees ( Saadi et al., 2021 ). As occupational therapists, we can translate calls for action into reality.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First-Generation Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Experiences of Occupational Disruption From an Occupational Justice Perspective

Fabianek,

Li,

Laume

et al. 2023

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy

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Importance: Only a limited amount of research has investigated the impact of prolonged refugee status of Palestinian refugees who have been displaced for more than 70 yr. Objective: To explore lived experiences of Palestinian refugees in Jordan and understand their occupational disruption. Design: Thematic analysis guided by descriptive phenomenology with one-on-one and group interviews. Setting: An AlBaqa’a community-based rehabilitation center or participants’ homes. Participants: First-generation Palestinian refugees who fled Palestine and live in Jordan. Results: Fifteen Palestinians, mainly widowed women in their 70s, participated in this study. Ten completed interviews, and five participated in two group interviews. Four themes emerged: (1) Palestinian pride, (2) trauma leaving one’s home country, (3) challenges of living in a host country, and (4) internalized prejudice. Conclusions and Relevance: After 70 yr, prolonged refugeeism has led to occupational disruption and negative implications for occupational justice, especially in the absence of social justice. The area most negatively affected was social participation; however, participants still had a great sense of pride about their homeland and their heritage. What This Article Adds: This foundational research explores the occupational injustices of the protracted refugee status of first-generation Palestinians in Jordan and identifies meaningful interventions to promote the alleviation of occupational disruption.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First-Generation Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Experiences of Occupational Disruption From an Occupational Justice Perspective

Fabianek,

Li,

Laume

et al. 2023

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy

Self Cite

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“…Among them, 40.7 million were refugees and asylum seekers (Agency, 2023). This growing exodus of refugees from their home countries is primarily driven by factors such as war, civil unrest, political violence and other humanitarian crises (Saadi et al , 2021). Throughout their migration journey, refugees often endure cumulative trauma, including exposure to violence, human trafficking, unemployment, loneliness and challenges related to social integration (Chen et al , 2017; Steel et al , 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Throughout their migration journey, refugees often endure cumulative trauma, including exposure to violence, human trafficking, unemployment, loneliness and challenges related to social integration (Chen et al , 2017; Steel et al , 2009). Consequently, the prevalence of mental illness within this population is notably high (Chen et al , 2017; Saadi et al , 2021). Although estimates indicate that the majority of global migration occurs within low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), there has also been a substantial increase in migration towards high-income countries (HICs) (Abubakar et al , 2018; Matlin et al , 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contribution of diversity of social participation on the mental health of humanitarian migrants during resettlement

Jiang,

Yang,

et al. 2024

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

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Aims By the end of 2022, an estimated 108.4 million individuals worldwide experienced forced displacement. Identifying modifiable factors associated with the mental illness of refugees is crucial for promoting successful integration and developing effective health policies. This study aims to examine the associations between the changes in the diversity of social participation and psychological distress among refugees throughout the resettlement process, specifically focusing on gender differences. Methods Utilizing data from three waves of a longitudinal, nationally representative cohort study conducted in Australia, this study involved 2399 refugees interviewed during Wave 1, 1894 individuals interviewed during Wave 3 and 1881 respondents during Wave 5. At each wave, we assessed psychological distress and 10 types of social participation across 3 distinct dimensions, including social activities, employment and education. The primary analysis employed mixed linear models and time-varying Cox models. Gender-stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results Refugees engaging in one type or two or more types of social participation, compared with those not engaging in any, consistently had lower psychological distress scores (β = −0.62 [95% confidence interval (CI), −1.07 to −0.17] for one type of social participation; β = −0.57 [95% CI, −1.04 to −0.10] for two or more types of social participation) and a reduced risk of experiencing psychological distress (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.81 [95% CI, 0.65–0.99] for one type of social participation; HR = 0.77 [95% CI, 0.61–0.97] for two or more types of social participation) during the resettlement period. When stratifying the results by gender, these associations in the adjusted models only remained significant in male refugees. Moreover, three specific types of social participation, namely sporting activities, leisure activities and current employment status, were most prominently associated with a reduced risk of psychological distress. Conclusions The findings of this cohort study suggest that social participation was consistently associated with reduced risks of psychological distress among male refugees during resettlement. These findings highlight the significance of promoting meaningful social participation and interaction may be an effective strategy to improve the mental health of refugees and facilitate their successful integration into society, especially among male refugees.

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“…Rohingya refugees have experienced an exceptional burden of severe trauma due to the systematic oppression in Myanmar and continued denial of their rights in Bangladesh ( 3 , 13 , 16 ). However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the effects of post-displacement stressors on mental health outcomes and how these stressors contribute to the continuum of trauma that a Rohingya refugee experiences ( 7 , 26 ). We aimed to narrow this gap by examining how post-displacement stressors might mediate, moderate or independently contribute to the effects of previously experienced trauma on mental health outcomes in the Rohingya refugee and asylum seeking population in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations among past trauma, post-displacement stressors, and mental health outcomes in Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: A secondary cross-sectional analysis

Ritsema

Armstrong-Hough

2023

Front. Public Health

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ObjectiveThe Rohingya endured intense trauma in Myanmar and continue to experience trauma related to displacement in Bangladesh. We aimed to evaluate the association of post-displacement stressors with mental health outcomes, adjusting for previously experienced trauma, in the Rohingya refugee population in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.MethodsWe analyzed data from the Cox's Bazar Panel Survey, a cross sectional survey consisting of 5,020 household interviews and 9,386 individual interviews completed in 2019. Using logistic regression, we tested the association between post-displacement stressors such as current exposure to crime and conflict and two mental health outcomes: depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In adjusted analyses, we controlled for past trauma, employment status, receiving an income, food security, and access to healthcare and stratified by gender.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms was 30.0% (n = 1,357) and PTSD 4.9% (n = 218). Most (87.1%, n = 3,938) reported experiencing at least one traumatic event. Multiple post-displacement stressors, such as current exposure to crime and conflict (for men: OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.52–3.28, p < 0.001; for women: OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.44–2.56, p < 0.001), were associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms in multivariable models. Trauma (OR = 4.98, 95% CI = 2.20–11.31, p < 0.001) was associated with increased odds of PTSD. Living in a household that received income was associated with decreased odds of PTSD (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.55–1.00, p = 0.05).ConclusionPrevalence of depressive symptoms was high among Rohingya refugees living in Cox's Bazar. Adjusting for past trauma and other risk factors, exposure to post-displacement stressors was associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms. There is a need to address social determinants of health that continue to shape mental health post-displacement and increase mental healthcare access for displaced Rohingya.

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Refugee Mental Health—An Urgent Call for Research and Action

Cited by 7 publications

References 6 publications

First-Generation Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Experiences of Occupational Disruption From an Occupational Justice Perspective

First-Generation Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Experiences of Occupational Disruption From an Occupational Justice Perspective

Contribution of diversity of social participation on the mental health of humanitarian migrants during resettlement

Associations among past trauma, post-displacement stressors, and mental health outcomes in Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: A secondary cross-sectional analysis

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