Mental Health and Traumatization of Newly Arrived Asylum Seeker Adults in Finland: A Population-Based Study.

ABSTRACT: Asylum seekers frequently experience potentially traumatic events (PTEs), but the type and frequency vary depending on the country of origin. The cumulative effect of multiple PTEs and other stressors expose asylum seekers to a significant risk of mental ill health. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of PTEs, depression and anxiety symptoms, risk for psychological trauma, psychotropic medication use and previous mental health diagnoses among adult asylum seekers in the Asylum Seekers Health and Wellbeing (TERTTU) Survey (n = 784 respondents, participation rate 78.6%). A substantial majority (88.7%, 95% CI 86.9-90.3) of asylum seekers reported one or more PTEs before arriving to Finland. PTEs during the asylum-seeking journey were reported at 12.0% (95% CI 10.7-13.4),

SUBMITTER: Garoff F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8297147 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature