Refugee Mental Health, Global Health Policy, and the Syrian Crisis

Abstract

The most recent global refugee figures are staggering, with over 82.4 million people forcibly displaced and 26.4 million registered refugees. The ongoing conflict in Syria is a major contributor. After a decade of violence and destabilization, over 13.4 million Syrians have been displaced, including 6.7 million internally displaced persons and 6.7 million refugees registered in other countries. Beyond the immediate political and economic challenges, an essential component of any response to this humanitarian crisis must be health-related, including policies and interventions specific to mental health. This policy and practice review addresses refugee mental health in the context of the Syrian crisis, providing an update and overview of the current situation while exploring new initiatives in mental health research and global health policy that can help strengthen and expand services. Relevant global health policy frameworks are first briefly introduced, followed by a short summary of recent research on refugee mental health. We then provide an update on the current status of research, service provision, and health policy in the leading destinations for Syrians who have been forcibly displaced. This starts within Syria and then turns to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Germany. Finally, several general recommendations are discussed, including the pressing need for more data at each phase of migration, the expansion of integrated mental health services, and the explicit inclusion and prioritization of refugee mental health in national and global health policy.

Estimated prevalence rates and risk factors for common mental health problems among Syrian and Afghan refugees in Türkiye

“…7 Compared with Syrians, Afghan refugees are relatively understudied. The massive influx of Syrian refugees to neighbouring countries has attracted significant scholarly attention to their mental health and their displacement conditions, 8,9 but there has been less of such research on Afghan refugees in the Middle East and Türkiye. 10 Many Syrians and Afghans have experienced severe potentially traumatic events such as witnessing atrocities, prolonged deprivation and the loss of loved ones either in their home country or en route to destination countries, all of which negatively affect their mental health and well-being and may undermine their adaptive abilities.…”

“… 7 Compared with Syrians, Afghan refugees are relatively understudied. The massive influx of Syrian refugees to neighbouring countries has attracted significant scholarly attention to their mental health and their displacement conditions, 8 , 9 but there has been less of such research on Afghan refugees in the Middle East and Türkiye. 10 …”

Scalable psychological interventions for Syrian refugees in Europe and the Middle East: STRENGTHS study protocol for a prospective individual participant data meta-analysis

“…CAU refers to all (mental) health services available to refugees in the setting where the pragmatic trial is conducted 36. Although study sites differ with regard to the availability of services, barriers to accessing care have been identified across host countries 13 15 37…”

Does Time Heal Trauma? 18 Month Follow-Up Study of Syrian Refugees’ Mental Health in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region

“…In addition, studies have indicated that experiencing additional trauma in the host country is a critical post-migration factor in worsening trauma-related symptoms in refugee populations [ 38 , 39 ]. Among Syrian refugees, factors such as racial discrimination, integration difficulties, language barriers, loss of social relationships, culture shock, fear of deportation, long stays in refugee camps, and high living costs contributed to the burden of psychological disorders [ 4 , 5 , 17 , 40 , 41 ].…”