Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening
Volume 117, Issue 25, 1997, Pages 3654-3658

Mental health among refugees: Symptoms, traumatization and exile [Psykisk helse blant flyktninger: Samspill mellom symptomer, traumatisering og eksil] (Article)

Lavik N.J.* , Solberg Ø. , Varvin S.
  • a Psykososialt Senter for Flyktninger, Universitetet i Oslo, Sognsveien 218, 0864 Oslo, Norway
  • b Psykososialt Senter for Flyktninger, Universitetet i Oslo, Sognsveien 218, 0864 Oslo, Norway
  • c Psykososialt Senter for Flyktninger, Universitetet i Oslo, Sognsveien 218, 0864 Oslo, Norway

Abstract

Traumatization and psychiatric symptomes among 346 refugees admitted to the outpatient unit at the Psychosocial Centre for Refugees from 1992 to 1996 were registered and analysed by means of systematic, clinical interviews. - More than 50% reported exposure to physical torture, and more than 50% had also been involved in serious war actions. Most patients had experienced many forms of persecution. - Approximately 10% of the patients had employment in their host country and 20-30% attended school or participated in language courses. Almost 40% were neither employed nor engaged in any kind of studies. - 50 % were diagosed as having post-traumatic stress disorder. - The relationship between demographic background, traumatization and exile situation, and Symptoms and social dysfunction is illustrated by case histories.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

male Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic case report Socioeconomic Factors female Humans socioeconomics refugee ethnology Norway psychological aspect Article mental health human adult Refugees Torture posttraumatic stress disorder
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0031580879&partnerID=40&md5=a9bbcdeb7872886588057cb30fbb94f2
ISSN: 00292001
Cited by: 3
Original Language: Norwegian