Augusto E Llosa1, Zeina Ghantous, Renato Souza, Fabio Forgione, Pierre Bastin, Alison Jones, Annick Antierens, Andrei Slavuckij, Rebecca F Grais. 1. Augusto E. Llosa, PhD, Epicentre, Paris, France; Zeina Ghantous, MPH, Médecins Sans Frontières, Geneva, Switzerland; Renato Souza, MD, Médecins Sans Frontières, Geneva, Switzerland, and Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Fabio Forgione, MSc, Pierre Bastin, MD, Alison Jones, MSc, Annick Antierens, MD, Andrei Slavuckij, MD, Médecins Sans Frontières, Geneva, Switzerland; Rebecca. F. Grais, PhD, Epicentre, Paris, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown high levels of distress and mental disorder among people living in refugee camps, yet none has confirmed diagnosis through clinical reappraisal. AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of mental disorders, related disability and treatment gap in adult refugees living in the Burj el-Barajneh camp. METHOD: Randomly selected participants were screened by household representative (n = 748) and individual (n = 315) interviews; clinical reappraisal was performed on a subset (n = 194) of 326 selected participants. Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of current mental disorders was 19.4% (95% CI 12.6-26.2); depression was the most common diagnosis (8.3%, 95% CI 4.4-12.2) and multiple diagnoses were common (42%) among the 88 persons with mental disorder. Lifetime prevalence of psychosis was 3.3% (95% CI 1.0-5.5). Mental disorders were associated with moderate to severe dysfunction (odds ratio = 8.8, 95% CI 4.5-17.4). The treatment gap was 96% (95% CI 92-100). CONCLUSIONS: A range of mental disorders and associated disability are common in this long-term refugee setting. Combined with an important treatment gap, findings support the current consensus-based policy to prioritise availability of mental health treatment in refugee camps, especially for the most severe and disabling conditions.
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown high levels of distress and mental disorder among people living in refugee camps, yet none has confirmed diagnosis through clinical reappraisal. AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of mental disorders, related disability and treatment gap in adult refugees living in the Burj el-Barajneh camp. METHOD: Randomly selected participants were screened by household representative (n = 748) and individual (n = 315) interviews; clinical reappraisal was performed on a subset (n = 194) of 326 selected participants. Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of current mental disorders was 19.4% (95% CI 12.6-26.2); depression was the most common diagnosis (8.3%, 95% CI 4.4-12.2) and multiple diagnoses were common (42%) among the 88 persons with mental disorder. Lifetime prevalence of psychosis was 3.3% (95% CI 1.0-5.5). Mental disorders were associated with moderate to severe dysfunction (odds ratio = 8.8, 95% CI 4.5-17.4). The treatment gap was 96% (95% CI 92-100). CONCLUSIONS: A range of mental disorders and associated disability are common in this long-term refugee setting. Combined with an important treatment gap, findings support the current consensus-based policy to prioritise availability of mental health treatment in refugee camps, especially for the most severe and disabling conditions.
Authors: Paolo Fusar-Poli; Marco Cappucciati; Grazia Rutigliano; Frauke Schultze-Lutter; Ilaria Bonoldi; Stefan Borgwardt; Anita Riecher-Rössler; Jean Addington; Diana Perkins; Scott W Woods; Thomas H McGlashan; Jimmy Lee; Joachim Klosterkötter; Alison R Yung; Philip McGuire Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2015-10 Impact factor: 49.548
Authors: Suzan J Song; Charles Kaplan; Wietse A Tol; Andrew Subica; Joop de Jong Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2014-11-18 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Augusto E Llosa; Mark Van Ommeren; Kavitha Kolappa; Zeina Ghantous; Renato Souza; Pierre Bastin; Andrej Slavuckij; Rebecca F Grais Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2017-01-18 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Jeremy C Kane; Peter Ventevogel; Paul Spiegel; Judith K Bass; Mark van Ommeren; Wietse A Tol Journal: BMC Med Date: 2014-11-24 Impact factor: 8.775