Prevalence and predictors of common mental disorders among Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey: a cross-sectional study

On behalf of the STRENGTHS consortium

doi:10.1007/s00127-020-01941-6

Prevalence and predictors of common mental disorders among Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey: a cross-sectional study

On behalf of the STRENGTHS consortium

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Purpose: The war in Syria has created the greatest refugee crisis in the twenty-first century. Turkey hosts the highest number of registered Syrian refugees, who are at increased risk of common mental disorders because of their exposure to war, violence and post-displacement stressors. The aim of this paper is to examine the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adult Syrian refugees was conducted between February and May 2018 in Istanbul (Sultanbeyli district). Participants (N = 1678) were randomly selected through the registration system of the district municipality. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) was used to measure anxiety and depression and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5) assessed posttraumatic stress. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD were 36.1%, 34.7% and 19.6%, respectively. Comorbidity was high. Regression analyses identified several socio-demographic, health and post-displacement variables that predicted common mental disorders including: being female, facing economic difficulties, previous trauma experience, and unmet need for social support, safety, law and justice. A lifetime history of mental health treatment and problems accessing adequate healthcare were associated with depression and anxiety but not with PTSD. Conclusions: Mental disorder symptoms are highly prevalent among Syrian refugees in Turkey. The association with post-displacement factors points to the importance of comprehensive health and social services that can address these social, economic and cultural stressors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	475-484
Number of pages	10
Journal	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume	56
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01941-6
Publication status	Published - 12 Aug 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded through the STRENGTHS (Syrian REfuGees MeNTal HealTH Care Systems) project. The STRENGTHS project is funded under Horizon 2020—the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014–2020) (Grant no. 733337). The content of this article reflects only the authors’ views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Funding Information:
Electronic data solutions were provided by LSHTM Open Data Kit (odk.lshtm.ac.uk).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Anxiety
Depression
Posttraumatic stress disorders
Syrian refugees

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10.1007/s00127-020-01941-6

Acarturk2021_Article_PrevalenceAndPredictorsOfCommonMentalDisordersAmongSyrianRefugeesInIstanbulFinal published version, 584 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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Cite this

@article{81e31935bf534028ad1ddd56c303bd44,

title = "Prevalence and predictors of common mental disorders among Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey: a cross-sectional study",

abstract = "Purpose: The war in Syria has created the greatest refugee crisis in the twenty-first century. Turkey hosts the highest number of registered Syrian refugees, who are at increased risk of common mental disorders because of their exposure to war, violence and post-displacement stressors. The aim of this paper is to examine the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adult Syrian refugees was conducted between February and May 2018 in Istanbul (Sultanbeyli district). Participants (N = 1678) were randomly selected through the registration system of the district municipality. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) was used to measure anxiety and depression and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5) assessed posttraumatic stress. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD were 36.1%, 34.7% and 19.6%, respectively. Comorbidity was high. Regression analyses identified several socio-demographic, health and post-displacement variables that predicted common mental disorders including: being female, facing economic difficulties, previous trauma experience, and unmet need for social support, safety, law and justice. A lifetime history of mental health treatment and problems accessing adequate healthcare were associated with depression and anxiety but not with PTSD. Conclusions: Mental disorder symptoms are highly prevalent among Syrian refugees in Turkey. The association with post-displacement factors points to the importance of comprehensive health and social services that can address these social, economic and cultural stressors.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Depression, Posttraumatic stress disorders, Syrian refugees",

author = "Ceren Acarturk and Michael McGrath and Bayard Roberts and Zeynep Ilkkursun and Pim Cuijpers and Marit Sijbrandij and Egbert Sondorp and Peter Ventevogel and Martin McKee and Fuhr, {Daniela C.} and {On behalf of the STRENGTHS consortium}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was funded through the STRENGTHS (Syrian REfuGees MeNTal HealTH Care Systems) project. The STRENGTHS project is funded under Horizon 2020—the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014–2020) (Grant no. 733337). The content of this article reflects only the authors{\textquoteright} views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Funding Information: Electronic data solutions were provided by LSHTM Open Data Kit (odk.lshtm.ac.uk). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

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doi = "10.1007/s00127-020-01941-6",

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T2 - a cross-sectional study

AU - Acarturk, Ceren

AU - McGrath, Michael

AU - Roberts, Bayard

AU - Ilkkursun, Zeynep

AU - Cuijpers, Pim

AU - Sijbrandij, Marit

AU - Sondorp, Egbert

AU - Ventevogel, Peter

AU - McKee, Martin

AU - Fuhr, Daniela C.

AU - On behalf of the STRENGTHS consortium

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded through the STRENGTHS (Syrian REfuGees MeNTal HealTH Care Systems) project. The STRENGTHS project is funded under Horizon 2020—the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014–2020) (Grant no. 733337). The content of this article reflects only the authors’ views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Funding Information: Electronic data solutions were provided by LSHTM Open Data Kit (odk.lshtm.ac.uk). Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/8/12

Y1 - 2020/8/12

N2 - Purpose: The war in Syria has created the greatest refugee crisis in the twenty-first century. Turkey hosts the highest number of registered Syrian refugees, who are at increased risk of common mental disorders because of their exposure to war, violence and post-displacement stressors. The aim of this paper is to examine the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adult Syrian refugees was conducted between February and May 2018 in Istanbul (Sultanbeyli district). Participants (N = 1678) were randomly selected through the registration system of the district municipality. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) was used to measure anxiety and depression and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5) assessed posttraumatic stress. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD were 36.1%, 34.7% and 19.6%, respectively. Comorbidity was high. Regression analyses identified several socio-demographic, health and post-displacement variables that predicted common mental disorders including: being female, facing economic difficulties, previous trauma experience, and unmet need for social support, safety, law and justice. A lifetime history of mental health treatment and problems accessing adequate healthcare were associated with depression and anxiety but not with PTSD. Conclusions: Mental disorder symptoms are highly prevalent among Syrian refugees in Turkey. The association with post-displacement factors points to the importance of comprehensive health and social services that can address these social, economic and cultural stressors.

AB - Purpose: The war in Syria has created the greatest refugee crisis in the twenty-first century. Turkey hosts the highest number of registered Syrian refugees, who are at increased risk of common mental disorders because of their exposure to war, violence and post-displacement stressors. The aim of this paper is to examine the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Syrian refugees living in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adult Syrian refugees was conducted between February and May 2018 in Istanbul (Sultanbeyli district). Participants (N = 1678) were randomly selected through the registration system of the district municipality. The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) was used to measure anxiety and depression and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5) assessed posttraumatic stress. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were used. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD were 36.1%, 34.7% and 19.6%, respectively. Comorbidity was high. Regression analyses identified several socio-demographic, health and post-displacement variables that predicted common mental disorders including: being female, facing economic difficulties, previous trauma experience, and unmet need for social support, safety, law and justice. A lifetime history of mental health treatment and problems accessing adequate healthcare were associated with depression and anxiety but not with PTSD. Conclusions: Mental disorder symptoms are highly prevalent among Syrian refugees in Turkey. The association with post-displacement factors points to the importance of comprehensive health and social services that can address these social, economic and cultural stressors.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Depression

KW - Posttraumatic stress disorders

KW - Syrian refugees

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Prevalence and predictors of common mental disorders among Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

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Keywords

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