British Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 200, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 216-223

Factors associated with mental disorders in long-settled war refugees: Refugees from the former Yugoslavia in Germany, Italy and the UK (Article) (Open Access)

Bogic M.* , Ajdukovic D. , Bremner S. , Franciskovic T. , Galeazzi G.M. , Kucukalic A. , Lecic-Tosevski D. , Morina N. , Popovski M. , Schützwohl M. , Wang D. , Priebe S.
  • a Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
  • b Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb, Croatia
  • c Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
  • d School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
  • e School of Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
  • f School of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • g Belgrade University School of Medicine, Serbia
  • h Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • i Faculty of Philosophy, University of Skopje, North Macedonia
  • j Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
  • k Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, United Kingdom
  • l Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: Prevalence rates of mental disorders are frequently increased in long-settled war refugees. However, substantial variation in prevalence rates across studies and countries remain unexplained. Aims: To test whether the same sociodemographic characteristics, war experiences and post-migration stressors are associated with mental disorders in similar refugee groups resettled in different countries. Method: Mental disorders were assessed in war-affected refugees from the former Yugoslavia in Germany, Italy and the UK. Sociodemographic, war-related and post-migration characteristics were tested for their association with different disorders. Results: A total of 854 war refugees were assessed (≥255 per country). Prevalence rates of mental disorders varied substantially across countries. A lower level of education, more traumatic experiences during and after the war, more migration-related stress, a temporary residence permit and not feeling accepted were independently associated with higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders. Mood disorders were also associated with older age, female gender and being unemployed, and anxiety disorders with the absence of combat experience. Higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were associated with older age, a lower level of education, more traumatic experiences during and after the war, absence of combat experience, more migration-related stress, and a temporary residence permit. Only younger age, male gender and not living with a partner were associated with substance use disorders. The associations did not differ significantly across the countries. War-related factors explained more variance in rates of PTSD, and post-migration factors in the rates of mood, anxiety and substance use disorder. Conclusions: Sociodemographic characteristics, war experiences and postmigration stressors are independently associated with mental disorders in long-settled war refugees. The risk factors vary for different disorders, but are consistent across host countries for the same disorders.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

unemployment Germany mood disorder refugee anxiety disorder demography sex ratio human risk assessment Refugees middle aged war social aspect Time Factors Aged substance abuse Yugoslavia Great Britain Epidemiologic Methods Mental Disorders academic achievement mental disease Young Adult Humans Adolescent male female Socioeconomic Factors stress prevalence Article major clinical study adult migration posttraumatic stress disorder United Kingdom age distribution Emigration and Immigration Italy psychotrauma disease association Epidemiologic Factors
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84863234545&doi=10.1192%2fbjp.bp.110.084764&partnerID=40&md5=f92990a0a8ca8af98bb7617c42f61086
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.084764
ISSN: 00071250
Cited by: 79
Original Language: English