Health care needs among recently arrived refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional, epidemiological study
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Health care needs among recently arrived refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional, epidemiological study Yuriy Nesterko1 • David Ja¨ckle1 • Michael Friedrich1 • Laura Holzapfel1 • Heide Glaesmer1 Received: 18 December 2019 / Revised: 8 April 2020 / Accepted: 9 June 2020 Ó The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Objectives The purpose of the present study is to investigate current needs for physical and/or mental health treatment in recently arrived refugees’ by considering socio-demographic, flight, and mental health-related characteristics as well as different social care needs based on epidemiological data. Methods The study was conducted in a reception facility for asylum-seekers in Leipzig, where 569 newly arrived adult residents participated. The questionnaire included socio-demographic and flight-related questions as well as standardized instruments for assessing mental health symptoms. Logistic regression models were conducted to predict current needs for treatment of self-rated physical and mental health status. Results Greater numbers of traumatic events, positive screening results for at least one mental disorder, and a current need for assistance navigating the health care system were found to be significant predictors for current mental and physical health treatment needs. In addition, males are more likely to report current treatment needs for mental health symptoms. Conclusions Health-related characteristics do predict newly arrived refugees’ treatment needs, and socio-demographic and flight-related characteristics do not. The results provide both academia and policy makers with first implications for improving health care for refugees in need as quickly as possible. Keywords Refugees Health care needs PTSD Depression Somatization Asylum Abbreviations AsylbLG Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act PTSD Posttraumatic stress disorder UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
& Yuriy Nesterko [email protected] David Ja¨ckle [email protected] Michael Friedrich [email protected] Laura Holzapfel [email protected] Heide Glaesmer [email protected] 1
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Introduction Migration rates are on the rise worldwide, a trend that has been gaining momentum over the last few decades in particular. There are many reasons to migrate, the most important being the desire for a better quality of life—in many cases caused by economic crises, political instability and/or armed conflicts currently present in many parts of the world. Besides voluntary migration, the number of forcibly displaced people seeking asylum has been dramatically growing in recent years. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2018, 70.8 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, including 25.9 million acknowledged refugees, and 3
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