Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume 38, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 35-43

Traumatic events, migration characteristics and psychiatric symptoms among Somali refugees - Preliminary communication (Article)

Bhui K.* , Abdi A. , Abdi M. , Pereira S. , Dualeh M. , Robertson D. , Sathyamoorthy G. , Ismail H.
  • a Barts/The London Medical School, Institute of Community, Health Sciences, Queen Mary, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
  • b Barts/The London Medical School, Institute of Community, Health Sciences, Queen Mary, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
  • c Greenwich Networks, 37 Charlton Church Lane, Greenwich, United Kingdom
  • d GKT Medical School, Guy's Hospital London, London, United Kingdom
  • e Refugee Council, London, United Kingdom
  • f Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, London, United Kingdom
  • g Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, London, United Kingdom
  • h Horn of Africa Community Group, Hammersmith, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background. Each refugee group experiences specific migration and resettlement experiences. There are no epidemiological data on risk factors for psychiatric symptoms among adult Somalis in the UK. Methods. We interviewed a community sample of 180 Somalis. We assessed the relationship between symptoms of psychosis (BPRS), anxiety and depression (SCL-90) and suicidal thinking (BDI) and migration-related experiences such as traumatic events, immigration difficulties, employment and income. Results. Anxiety and depression was incrementally more common with each pre-migration traumatic event (OR per trauma event = 1.31, 1.06-1.62, p=0.01). Shortages of food, being lost in a war situation, and being close to death and suffering serious injury were each related to specific psychiatric symptoms. Suicidal thinking was more common among Somalis who were unemployed before migration and those using qat in the UK. Conclusions. War-related experiences, occupational status before migration and current Qat use are risk factors for psychiatric symptoms among Somali refugees.

Author Keywords

Migration Somali Symptoms Psychiatric Refugees Epidemiology

Index Keywords

statistical analysis unemployment depression refugee anxiety disorder psychological aspect demography human immigration Life Change Events Refugees middle aged psychosis war life event controlled study risk assessment injury Aged death Food Stress Disorders, Traumatic Great Britain ethnology Mental Disorders interview mental disease income Humans male occupation female Aged, 80 and over risk factor Risk Factors Article experience suicidal behavior major clinical study adult migration posttraumatic stress disorder Somalia United Kingdom Emigration and Immigration employment population migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0037258936&doi=10.1007%2fs00127-003-0596-5&partnerID=40&md5=6254aeb65566893ac532613ca1e61bfd
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-003-0596-5
ISSN: 09337954
Cited by: 152
Original Language: English