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Cited by 377Migration, Health and TraumaMental Health Treatment and AccessCOVID-19 and Mental Health

Prevalence of mental ill health, traumas and postmigration stress among refugees from Syria resettled in Sweden after 2011: a population-based survey

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Tinghög, Petter, Malm, Andreas, Arwidson, Charlotta, Sigvardsdotter, Erika, Lundin, Andreas, Saboonchi, Fredrik·2017·BMJ Open
DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018899PMC PMC5778338
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Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of and associations between anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low subjective well-being (SWB), potential traumas and postmigration stress among refugees from Syria resettled in Sweden. Design: A cross-sectional and population-based questionnaire study based on a known and complete sample frame. The survey included multiple measures of mental ill health and factors of particular relevance for refugees. Weighted analyses were conducted to calculate representative prevalence rates and associations. Associations were investigated through a series of logistic regression analyses. All analyses were supplemented with robust 95% CIs. Setting: Sweden. Participants: A random sample of 1215 individuals (response rate 30.4%) from Syria aged 18–64 years that were granted residency in Sweden on grounds of asylum between 2011 and 2013. Main outcome measures: Anxiety, depression, PTSD and low SWB were assessed through Hopkins Symptom Checklist, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and WHO-5 Well-being Index, using established cut-offs. Results: A majority of the participants met the criteria for at least one of the studied types of mental ill health, and the comorbidity was high. Depression was the most the common type with 40.2% (95% CI 36.9% to 43.3%), followed by low SWB with 37.7% (95% CI 34.8% to 40.1%), anxiety with 31.8% (95% CI 29.2% to 34.7%) and PTSD with 29.9% (95% CI 27.2% to 32.6%). Refugee-related potentially traumatic events (PTEs) experienced before or during migration was common as was substantial levels of postmigration stress. Most types of refugee-related PTEs, especially being exposed to interpersonal violence, and postmigration stress were associated with increased risks for anxiety, depression, low SWB and PTSD. Conclusions: Mental ill health, in terms of anxiety, depression, low SWB and PTSD, are highly elevated and comorbid among refugees from Syria. Increased attention from multiple societal sectors to adequately support Syrian refugees’ mental health needs, promoting recovery and reducing postmigration stress are needed.

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  • Additional post-migration stressors frequently experienced in host countries (e.g., discrimination, poor living conditions, new cultural context, language barriers) are associated with worse mental health among refugees.

    “Additional post-migration stressors frequently experienced in the host countries (e.g., discrimination, poor living conditions, new cultural context, and language barriers) pose further challenges for refugees and are also associated with worse mental health (Tinghög et al., 2017; Malm et al., 2020).”

    From Smartphone-delivered mental health care interventions for refugees: A systematic review of the literature (2023) · cites this paper as Tinghög et al., 2017

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Authors
Tinghög, P., Malm, A., Arwidson, C., Sigvardsdotter, E., Lundin, A., & Saboonchi, F.
Affiliations
  • Röda Korsets Högskola (SE)
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
Corresponding author
Tinghög, Petter
ORCID
Venue
BMJ Open
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2017-12
Volume
7
Issue
12
Pages
e018899
ISSN
2044-6055 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018899
PMC
PMC5778338
OpenAlex
W2777377271
Cited by
377
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 69 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 7
FWCI
30.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • BMJ Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Swedish Ministry of Employment
  • Swedish Red Cross
  • Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
Keywords
Syrian refugees, mental illness, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, subjective well-being, potentially traumatic events, interpersonal violence, asylum seekers, refugee resettlement, psychiatric comorbidity
MeSH terms
Armed Conflicts, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Refugees, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological, Sweden, Syria, Violence, Warfare, Prevalence, Emigrants and Immigrants, Young Adult

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