Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals
Background: Currently, approximately 100 million people are displaced worldwide, including children and young adults. Previous studies showed exposure to violence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in this sub-population. However, we still lack comprehensive data on well-being, ment...
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X24001226 |
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| author | Erica Mattelin Amal R. Khanolkar Johan Andersson Hania Kutabi Laura Korhonen |
| author_facet | Erica Mattelin Amal R. Khanolkar Johan Andersson Hania Kutabi Laura Korhonen |
| author_sort | Erica Mattelin |
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| description | Background: Currently, approximately 100 million people are displaced worldwide, including children and young adults. Previous studies showed exposure to violence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in this sub-population. However, we still lack comprehensive data on well-being, mental health, and the ability to function. Methods: This study included 291 adolescent (aged 12–17 years) and young adult (18–25 years) refugees recruited nationwide in Sweden between 2019 and 2022. Sociodemographic, mental health and well-being-related data (well-being, post-traumatic stress symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, and functional ability) were collected using semi-structured interviews with structured components. Associations between accompanied status and well-being/depression/suicidal thoughts, generalized anxiety disorder/panic disorder/PTSD symptoms, and functional ability were analyzed using linear and logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender, parental education, asylum status, and region of origin. Findings: Most study participants (mean age 17·9 years) originated from the Middle East and North Africa (70·6 %) or Sub-Saharan Africa (27·0 %). 16·1 % of adolescents and 32·3 % of young adults were unaccompanied. Nearly the entire study sample had experienced violence (92·8 %). However, the sample had a low prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses. For example, only 5·9 % fulfilled the criteria for clinical depression. Self-reported well-being (WHO-5, 71·09 (23·91)) and observer-rated functional ability (GAS/GAF, 81·76 (14·15)) were high. There were no significant differences in diagnosis prevalence by gender. However, significant differences existed between accompanied versus unaccompanied groups. Being an unaccompanied refugee individual was associated with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, adjusted odds ratio, aOR 5·66 (95 % CI 2·15–14·88), higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms β = 0·72 (0·39–1·05), lower mental well-being β = −10·86 95 % CI (−18·23— -3·48) and lower functional ability β = −9·38 (−13·84— -4·92). There were no differences in outcomes by gender except for worse well-being in males (β = 6·83 (1·01–12·66)). Interpretation: In this sample, we found lower prevalence rates for all psychiatric diagnoses compared to earlier published studies. Being an unaccompanied refugee individual was a risk factor for all adverse outcomes. Future studies need to confirm the relatively low rates of psychiatric diagnoses. Regardless, the results highlight the heterogeneous needs among newly arrived refugees. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-4e92523e33254017b4d70d8c99698ed52025-01-17T04:48:59ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychiatry0010-440X2025-02-01137152571Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individualsErica Mattelin0Amal R. Khanolkar1Johan Andersson2Hania Kutabi3Laura Korhonen4Barnafrid, Swedish National Center on Violence Against Children, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Save the Children, SwedenDepartment of Population Health Sciences, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, UKBarnafrid, Swedish National Center on Violence Against Children, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenBarnafrid, Swedish National Center on Violence Against Children, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenBarnafrid, Swedish National Center on Violence Against Children, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Corresponding author at: Barnafrid, Swedish National Center on Violence Against Children, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenBackground: Currently, approximately 100 million people are displaced worldwide, including children and young adults. Previous studies showed exposure to violence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in this sub-population. However, we still lack comprehensive data on well-being, mental health, and the ability to function. Methods: This study included 291 adolescent (aged 12–17 years) and young adult (18–25 years) refugees recruited nationwide in Sweden between 2019 and 2022. Sociodemographic, mental health and well-being-related data (well-being, post-traumatic stress symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, and functional ability) were collected using semi-structured interviews with structured components. Associations between accompanied status and well-being/depression/suicidal thoughts, generalized anxiety disorder/panic disorder/PTSD symptoms, and functional ability were analyzed using linear and logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender, parental education, asylum status, and region of origin. Findings: Most study participants (mean age 17·9 years) originated from the Middle East and North Africa (70·6 %) or Sub-Saharan Africa (27·0 %). 16·1 % of adolescents and 32·3 % of young adults were unaccompanied. Nearly the entire study sample had experienced violence (92·8 %). However, the sample had a low prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses. For example, only 5·9 % fulfilled the criteria for clinical depression. Self-reported well-being (WHO-5, 71·09 (23·91)) and observer-rated functional ability (GAS/GAF, 81·76 (14·15)) were high. There were no significant differences in diagnosis prevalence by gender. However, significant differences existed between accompanied versus unaccompanied groups. Being an unaccompanied refugee individual was associated with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, adjusted odds ratio, aOR 5·66 (95 % CI 2·15–14·88), higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms β = 0·72 (0·39–1·05), lower mental well-being β = −10·86 95 % CI (−18·23— -3·48) and lower functional ability β = −9·38 (−13·84— -4·92). There were no differences in outcomes by gender except for worse well-being in males (β = 6·83 (1·01–12·66)). Interpretation: In this sample, we found lower prevalence rates for all psychiatric diagnoses compared to earlier published studies. Being an unaccompanied refugee individual was a risk factor for all adverse outcomes. Future studies need to confirm the relatively low rates of psychiatric diagnoses. Regardless, the results highlight the heterogeneous needs among newly arrived refugees.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X24001226RefugeeUnaccompanied refugeeMental healthWell-beingFunctional abilityPTSD |
| spellingShingle | Erica Mattelin Amal R. Khanolkar Johan Andersson Hania Kutabi Laura Korhonen Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals Comprehensive Psychiatry Refugee Unaccompanied refugee Mental health Well-being Functional ability PTSD |
| title | Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| title_full | Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| title_fullStr | Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| title_short | Mental health and well-being in adolescent and young adult refugees in Sweden: A cross-sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| title_sort | mental health and well being in adolescent and young adult refugees in sweden a cross sectional study of accompanied and unaccompanied individuals |
| topic | Refugee Unaccompanied refugee Mental health Well-being Functional ability PTSD |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X24001226 |
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