Publication: Mental health and well-being of refugees and asylum seekers, Public Health Wales (PHW)
What are the main points?
- Asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced peoples have poorer mental health outcomes than the general population, reveals this international review of evidence.
- Many mental health challenges relate to experiences both before and after leaving home. This includes personal loss, hardship, and stress.
- PTSD is higher in refugees and displaced people than the general population. They may also suffer adverse childhood experiences.
- The Welsh Government’s Nation of Sanctuary plan (2019) outlines work to improve access to education, employment and integration with local communities.
- There are also insights from Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands and Sweden on effective approaches to help.
EXPERT THOUGHT: Marian Dyakova
Consultant in Public Health at PHW
‘Improving the wellbeing of these populations requires accessible healthcare, social support, and addressing the social determinants of health. This support can take a variety of forms from addressing practical issues, such as language barriers and difficulties accessing services, to mitigating cultural and social issues (by providing support to help integrate into local communities or [to] join existing networks of people with similar lived experiences).’
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