Revue de Medecine Legale
Volume 9, Issue 1, 2018, Pages 18-26

Psychological traumatism and asylum seeker [Psychotraumatisme et demande d'asile – enquête au sein de la Cafda (2015–2016)] (Article)

Zadikian M.* , Jung C. , Ben Kemoun J.-M. , Bouyssy M. , Soussy A.
  • a Unité médicojudiciaire, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil, 40, avenue de verdun, Créteil, 94000, France
  • b CRC, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil, Créteil, France
  • c Unité médicojudiciaire, centre hospitalier de Versailles, Versailles, 78000, France
  • d Unité médicojudiciaire, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil, 40, avenue de verdun, Créteil, 94000, France
  • e Unité médicojudiciaire, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil, 40, avenue de verdun, Créteil, 94000, France

Abstract

A prospective survey on mental disorders of an asylum seekers’ cohort in the platform of the primary reception of families claiming asylum in Paris, Coordination de l'accueil des familles demandeuses d'asile (CAFDA) seems to be appropriate, representing 45% of psychology or psychiatric consultations from total consultations in the medical center. A high ratio (up to 92%) of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the population of asylum seekers is found in literature. The principal aim of the survey is to evaluate the prevalence of PTSD in a sample representing adult asylum seekers via a validated questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale–Revised (l'IES–R). The second is to evaluate the impact of the forensic follow-up on their status. The validated autoquestionnaire patients and methods 200 (IES-R) was distributed to all adult asylum seekers followed up in CAFDA during information workshops and in a reception hall, essentially, during a year. Results: Off 82 exploitable questionnaires, 88% of cases diagnosed with PTSD, emphasize the important prevalence of mental disorders in the given population. In forensic terms, recognizing the refugee's status grants access to rights and adapted support. However, a major part of common law structures enabling the follow-up of those cases are overloaded. Doing the questionnaire to all asylum seekers, and comorbidity researches, often associated with PTSD could give a logical sequence to the first study. © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS

Author Keywords

Victim Questionnaire IES-R Forensic Psychological trauma (PTSD) Asylum seeker

Index Keywords

follow up Impact of Events Scale psychotrauma forensic psychiatry prevalence Article asylum seeker human adult posttraumatic stress disorder
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85028321017&doi=10.1016%2fj.medleg.2017.07.001&partnerID=40&md5=c5368f702b60f2300d2b03bcd459daa5
DOI: 10.1016/j.medleg.2017.07.001
ISSN: 18786529
Original Language: English; French