Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 21, Issue 3, 2019, Pages 664-667

Prevalence of Possible Mental Disorders in Syrian Refugees Resettling in the United States Screened at Primary Care (Article)

Javanbakht A.* , Amirsadri A. , Abu Suhaiban H. , Alsaud M.I. , Alobaidi Z. , Rawi Z. , Arfken C.L.
  • a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
  • b Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
  • c Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
  • d Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
  • e Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
  • f Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
  • g Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Detroit, MI 48201, United States

Abstract

Little is known about mental health problems among newly arrived Syrian refugees in the US. It is important to determine the prevalence of common consequences of exposure to trauma and high stress, and provide needed interventions, as these conditions if untreated, can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Adult Syrian refugees (n = 157, 47.1% women, 52.9% men) were screened at one-month mandatory primary care health visit for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression using PTSD Checklist, and Hopkins Symptoms Checklist. Prevalence of possible diagnoses was high for PTSD (32.2%), anxiety (40.3%), and depression (47.7%). Possible prevalence of depression and anxiety were higher among women, but there was no gender difference for possible PTSD. We found a high prevalence of possible psychiatric disorders related to trauma and stress among Syrian refugees newly resettled in the US. Due to the high prevalence and feasibility of brief screening tools in primary care facilities, we recommend mental health screening during primary care health visits for resettled Syrian refugees. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

PTSD Anxiety Syrian refugees trauma

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85052052385&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-018-0797-3&partnerID=40&md5=4e9d610330e54a8eb94a140d15fe69d8
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0797-3
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English