Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 36, Issue 4, 2002, Pages 499-503

Screening of mental disorders in asylum-seekers from Kosovo (Article)

Eytan A.* , Bischoff A. , Rrustemi I. , Durieux S. , Loutan L. , Gilbert M. , Bovier P.A.
  • a Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • b Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • c Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • d Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • e Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • f Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland
  • g Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel Air, Belle-Idée 2, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Objective: To determine how the use of trained and ad hoc interpreters during a medical screening interview affects referral to medical and psychiatric care. Methods: We reviewed 319 structured interviews conducted by nurses with asylum-seekers from Kosovo during a systematic medical screening at time of entry, consisting of questions about health conditions, past exposure to traumatic events, and posttraumatic symptoms. Results: The majority (72%) of asylum-seekers were male and the median age was 24 years. Forty-eight per cent were single and 55% declared having relatives already living in Switzerland. Screening interviews resulted in 36% of asylum-seekers being referred to a general practitioner and 6% to a psychiatrist. Relatives served as ad hoc interpreters in 18% of interviews and trained interpreters in 16%. The detection of traumatic events and psychological symptoms significantly improved when trained interpreters were present (traumatic events: no interpreters 55%, ad hoc interpreters 46%, trained interpreters 77%, P = 003; psychological symptoms: 12%, 14%, 33%, respectively, P = 0.001). Adjusted for traumatic events and posttraumatic symptoms, referral to medical care was more frequent when relatives served as ad hoc interpreter (OR: 1.9, 95% Cl 1.0-3.6), while interviews conducted with trained interpreters were not significantly associated with increased referral to medical (OR: 1.3, 95% Cl 0.6-2.6) and psychiatric care (OR: 2.3, 95% Cl 0.7-7.0). Conclusion: The use of trained interpreters improved the quality of communication, the detection of severe symptoms and traumatic situations, and facilitated therapeutic orientation of traumatized asylum-seekers.

Author Keywords

interpreting Kosovo (Yugoslavia) Posttraumatic stress disorders communication

Index Keywords

symptomatology mass screening interpersonal communication human Refugees psychiatrist middle aged Nurse Clinicians Nursing Diagnosis Interview, Psychological controlled study general practitioner Yugoslavia language mental health care screening Cross-Sectional Studies mental disease interview Humans Adolescent male female patient referral Psychophysiologic Disorders Reproducibility of Results psychoanalysis Article adult Translating posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic mental hospital personality assessment Somatoform Disorders Switzerland
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0036689439&doi=10.1046%2fj.1440-1614.2002.01044.x&partnerID=40&md5=9c73d73badbc03b1c7b50f09fd11e919
DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.01044.x
ISSN: 00048674
Cited by: 28
Original Language: English