Impact of displacement context on psychological distress in refugees resettled in Australia: a longitudinal population-based study
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Impact of displacement context on psychological distress in refugees resettled in Australia : a longitudinal population-based study. / Nickerson, Angela; Kashyap, Shraddha; Keegan, David; Edwards, Ben; Forrest, Walter; Bryant, Richard A.; O'Donnell, Meaghan; Felmingham, Kim; McFarlane, Alexander C.; Tol, Wietse A.; Lenferink, Lonneke; Hoffman, Joel; Liddell, Belinda J.
In: Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, Vol. 31, 51, 2022.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of displacement context on psychological distress in refugees resettled in Australia
T2 - a longitudinal population-based study
AU - Nickerson, Angela
AU - Kashyap, Shraddha
AU - Keegan, David
AU - Edwards, Ben
AU - Forrest, Walter
AU - Bryant, Richard A.
AU - O'Donnell, Meaghan
AU - Felmingham, Kim
AU - McFarlane, Alexander C.
AU - Tol, Wietse A.
AU - Lenferink, Lonneke
AU - Hoffman, Joel
AU - Liddell, Belinda J.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Aims Refugees typically spend years in a state of protracted displacement prior to permanent resettlement. Little is known about how various prior displacement contexts influence long-term mental health in resettled refugees. In this study, we aimed to determine whether having lived in refugee camps v. community settings prior to resettlement impacted the course of refugees' psychological distress over the 4 years following arrival in Australia. Methods Participants were 1887 refugees who had taken part in the Building a New Life in Australia study, which comprised of five annual face-to-face or telephone surveys from the year of first arrival in Australia. Results Latent growth curve modelling revealed that refugees who had lived in camps showed greater initial psychological distress (as indexed by the K6) and faster decreases in psychological distress in the 4 years after resettling in Australia, compared to those who had lived in community settings. Investigation of refugee camp characteristics revealed that poorer access to services in camps was associated with greater initial distress after resettlement, and greater ability to meet one's basic needs in camps was associated with faster decreases in psychological distress over time. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of the displacement context in influencing the course of post-resettlement mental health. Increasing available services and meeting basic needs in the displacement environment may promote better mental health outcomes in resettled refugees.
AB - Aims Refugees typically spend years in a state of protracted displacement prior to permanent resettlement. Little is known about how various prior displacement contexts influence long-term mental health in resettled refugees. In this study, we aimed to determine whether having lived in refugee camps v. community settings prior to resettlement impacted the course of refugees' psychological distress over the 4 years following arrival in Australia. Methods Participants were 1887 refugees who had taken part in the Building a New Life in Australia study, which comprised of five annual face-to-face or telephone surveys from the year of first arrival in Australia. Results Latent growth curve modelling revealed that refugees who had lived in camps showed greater initial psychological distress (as indexed by the K6) and faster decreases in psychological distress in the 4 years after resettling in Australia, compared to those who had lived in community settings. Investigation of refugee camp characteristics revealed that poorer access to services in camps was associated with greater initial distress after resettlement, and greater ability to meet one's basic needs in camps was associated with faster decreases in psychological distress over time. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of the displacement context in influencing the course of post-resettlement mental health. Increasing available services and meeting basic needs in the displacement environment may promote better mental health outcomes in resettled refugees.
KW - Displaced
KW - human-caused trauma
KW - refugee camp
KW - refugees
KW - settlement
KW - social determinants
KW - torture
KW - urban displacement
KW - war
KW - armed conflict as civilian
KW - ASYLUM SEEKERS
KW - MENTAL-HEALTH
KW - POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS
KW - VIOLENCE
KW - WOMEN
KW - WAR
U2 - 10.1017/S2045796022000324
DO - 10.1017/S2045796022000324
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35818768
VL - 31
JO - Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
JF - Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
SN - 2045-7960
M1 - 51
ER -
ID: 314059815