Aims and objectives: To explore undocumented migrants’ mental healthcare needs and more specifically to explore how undocumented adults living in Norway perceive psychological distress, to gather insight on their living conditions and to explore associated living condition risk factors. Background: Undocumented migrants are defined both nationally and internationally as an especially vulnerable group with regard to their health status, living conditions and barriers to access to health care and social welfare. Design: An exploratory mixed-methods design using primarily quantitative data with a qualitative component was implemented. Methods: Socio-demographic data on 90 undocumented migrants were obtained, and self-report questionnaire on psychological distress was completed, supplemented by qualitative data obtained through interviews. Results: The level of psychological distress was extremely high in our group of undocumented migrants. Leaving their home country because of war or persecution, economic strain, homelessness, hunger and having experienced abuse was significantly positively associated with psychological distress. Contrary to what was predicted, having family and work was not significantly associated with the reduction of psychological distress. Additional qualitative data indicate that having family entails great responsibilities and work implies exploitation to such an extent that any potential positive influence this has on mental health, such as a sense of belonging and a reasonable standard of living, is outweighed. Conclusions: The high level of psychological distress indicates a need of additional diagnostic evaluation and mental health care. The living conditions were so marginal that their day-to-day existence was threatened. Relevance to clinical practice: We recognised a need for an interdisciplinary and dynamic approach to mental health care. Undocumented migrants are in need of a minimum of psychological and material support assuring basic needs such as shelter and appropriate food and access to health care and social welfare. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Mental health Public health Living conditions Psychological distress Hopkins Symptom Checklist – 25 relevance to clinical practice for nurses undocumented adults in Norway

nurse basic needs nursing Norway demography quantitative study homeless person mental health human Self Report middle aged statistics and numerical data Stress, Psychological mental stress health status Aged clinical practice checklist Social Conditions mental health care Mental Disorders family study interview Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult social status migrant psychology Humans Adolescent responsibility male female Aged, 80 and over very elderly risk factor Risk Factors questionnaire symptom social welfare diagnosis adult exploratory research migration human experiment Homeless Persons Health Services Accessibility Transients and Migrants homelessness health care need hunger health care delivery