Does Time Heal Trauma? 18 Month Follow-Up Study of Syrian Refugees' Mental Health in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 19(22)2022 11 12.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36429629
ABSTRACT
The findings of longitudinal studies on traumatized refugees have shown that factors related to premigration, migration, and post-migration experiences determine changes in mental health over time. The primary aim of this follow-up study was to examine the potential change in the prevalence rates of probable PTSD and depression among Syrian refugees in Iraq. An unselected group of N = 92 Syrian adult refugees was recruited from Arbat camps in Sulaymaniyah Governorate in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, and then interviewed at two different time points between July 2017 and January 2019. Locally validated instruments were used to assess traumatic events and mental health symptoms. The primary results showed no significant change in the mean scores of PTSD and depression symptoms from the first measurement to the second measurement over the course of 18 months. On the individual level, no reliable change was found for either PTSD or depression symptoms in more than three-quarters of the participants (78.3% and 77.2%, respectively). New adversities and traumatic events that occurred over the 18 months between the interviews were a significant predictor of increasing trauma-related symptoms. After the flight from conflict settings, trauma-related disorders seem to be chronic for the majority of Syrian refugees. Further longitudinal studies are needed in order to identify specific risk factors that lead to maintaining or worsening mental health symptoms over time, and to explore effective therapeutic intervention methods for this traumatized population.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Refugiados
/
Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Environ Res Public Health
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania