European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume 27, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 439-446

Incidence of psychiatric disorders among accompanied and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Denmark: a nation-wide register-based cohort study (Article)

Norredam M.* , Nellums L. , Nielsen R.S. , Byberg S. , Petersen J.H.
  • a Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark, Section of Immigrant Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegårds Alle, Hvidovre, Copenhagen, 2820, Denmark
  • b Section of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Imperial College London, 8th Floor Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom
  • c Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark
  • d Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark
  • e Section for Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark

Abstract

One in four asylum applicants in Europe are children, and 23% of whom are unaccompanied and may be at increased risk of mental illness. This study contributes to the limited evidence base by comparing the incidence of psychiatric disorders among unaccompanied and accompanied refugee children. We linked a cohort of refugee children who obtained right of residency in Denmark between 01 January 1993 and 31 December 2010 to the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, and calculated incidence rates per 100,000 person years and incidence rate ratios of overall psychiatric disorder, psychotic disorders, affective disorders, and neurotic disorders for accompanied and unaccompanied minors using Poisson regression. We adjusted the analyses for sex, age at residency, and age at arrival (aIRR). Stratified analyses were conducted by nationality. Unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.14–1.68) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.32–2.13) than accompanied minors. Among children from Afghanistan, unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.26–3.93) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.50, 95% CI 1.72–7.11). Among children from Iraq, unaccompanied minors had higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.02, 95% CI 1.18–3.45), affective disorders (aIRR: 6.04, 95% CI 2.17–16.8), and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.04, 95% CI 1.62–5.70). Unaccompanied children were found to experience a higher incidence of any psychiatric disorder and neurotic disorders. Strategies are needed to address the specific mental health and social needs of unaccompanied minors. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Mental health child Unaccompanied Asylum seeker Refugee

Index Keywords

mood disorder prospective study Afghanistan refugee Registries risk register follow up human Refugees Cohort Studies psychosis Denmark controlled study Iraq Minors psychiatric diagnosis social needs mental health care Mental Disorders mental disease asylum seeker Humans psychology Adolescent male female Incidence Article minor (person) major clinical study cohort analysis mental hospital neurosis Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042628187&doi=10.1007%2fs00787-018-1122-3&partnerID=40&md5=ba7f448a504b25bb37e7211e34bc522a
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1122-3
ISSN: 10188827
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English