Refugee and asylum seeker mental health is a key international problem. UNHCR 2020 data refers to 82.4 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide. PTSD and depression are markedly increased in displaced persons compared to the general population (31% and 31.5% compared to 3.9% and 12% respectively). This session addresses: 1) prevalence of mental illness in displaced persons; 2) why psychosocial interventions vary in outcome; 3) humanitarian/policy issues impacting child and adolescent persons; 4) complex PTSD; 5) narrative exposure therapy; 6) barriers/limitations to treatment and research. Learning objectives are an understanding of these primary teaching points.
Chair: Professor Kenneth R. Kaufman, MD, FRCPsych, DLFAPA, FAES, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, USA, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
Why do outcomes of psychosocial interventions vary widely across studies with refugees?
Dr Alvin Kuowei Tay, MPsych, PhD, Psychosocial Advisor, UNDSS, United Nations, New York, Department of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Australia, Visiting Professorial Scholar, Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA
Iron triangle of immigration policies at the U.S. border - mental health of unaccompanied children
Professor Suzan Joon Song, MD, MPH, PhD, Division of Child and Family Psychiatry, George Washington Medical Center, Washington, D.C., USA
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) in refugees and asylum seekers: a systematic review
Professor Cornelius Katona, MD, FRCPsych, Helen Bamber Foundation, London, Division of Psychiatry, University College London
Narrative exposure therapy for survivors of human trafficking: a feasibility randomised controlled trial
Dr Francesca Brady, PhD, Division of Psychology, University College London, Woodfield Trauma Service, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
