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    den Otter, Joost Jan Wenzel, Thomas McGrath, Bernadette Osorio, Andres Leal and Drožđek, Boris 2019. An Uncertain Safety. p. 283.
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    Zwi, Karen Mares, Sarah Nathanson, Dania Tay, Alvin Kuowei and Silove, Derrick 2018. The impact of detention on the social–emotional wellbeing of children seeking asylum: a comparison with community-based children. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 27, Issue. 4, p. 411.
    Esses, Victoria M. Hamilton, Leah K. and Gaucher, Danielle 2017. The Global Refugee Crisis: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications for Improving Public Attitudes and Facilitating Refugee Resettlement. Social Issues and Policy Review, Vol. 11, Issue. 1, p. 78.
    Bogen, Rachel and Marlowe, Jay 2017. Asylum Discourse in New Zealand: Moral Panic and a Culture of Indifference. Australian Social Work, Vol. 70, Issue. 1, p. 104.
    Rimkeviciene, Jurgita O’Gorman, John and De Leo, Diego 2017. Suicidality in detention centres: a case study. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 13, Issue. 1, p. 106.
    Hartley, Lisa Fleay, Caroline and Tye, Marian E. 2017. Exploring physical activity engagement and barriers for asylum seekers in Australia coping with prolonged uncertainty and no right to work. Health & Social Care in the Community, Vol. 25, Issue. 3, p. 1190.
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Mental health implications of detaining asylum seekers: systematic review

  • Katy Robjant (a1), Rita Hassan (a2) and Cornelius Katona (a3)
Abstract
Background

The number of asylum seekers, refugees and internally displaced people worldwide is rising. Western countries are using increasingly restrictive policies, including the detention of asylum seekers, and there is concern that this is harmful.

Aims

To investigate mental health outcomes among adult, child and adolescent immigration detainees.

Method

A systematic review was conducted of studies investigating the impact of immigration detention on the mental health of children, adolescents and adults, identified by a systematic search of databases and a supplementary manual search of references.

Results

Ten studies were identified. All reported high levels of mental health problems in detainees. Anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder were commonly reported, as were self-harm and suicidal ideation. Time in detention was positively associated with severity of distress. There is evidence for an initial improvement in mental health occurring subsequent to release, although longitudinal results have shown that the negative impact of detention persists.

Conclusions

This area of research is in its infancy and studies are limited by methodological constraints. Findings consistently report high levels of mental health problems among detainees. There is some evidence to suggest an independent adverse effect of detention on mental health.

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Copyright
COPYRIGHT: © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009 
Corresponding author
Correspondence: Katy Robjant, Traumatic Stress Service, Clinical Treatment Centre, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UK. Email: katy.robjant@thh.nhs.uk
Footnotes
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Declaration of interest

None.

Footnotes
References
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  • Cited by 102
  • Cited by
    Crossref Citations
    Crossref logo
    This article has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by CrossRef.
    den Otter, Joost Jan Wenzel, Thomas McGrath, Bernadette Osorio, Andres Leal and Drožđek, Boris 2019. An Uncertain Safety. p. 283.
    Kronick, Rachel Rousseau, Cécile and Cleveland, Janet 2018. Refugee children’s sandplay narratives in immigration detention in Canada. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 27, Issue. 4, p. 423.
    Jansen, Melanie Sue Tin, Alanna and Isaacs, David 2018. Prolonged immigration detention, complicity and boycotts. Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 44, Issue. 2, p. 138.
    O’Reilly, Zoë 2018. ‘Living Liminality’: everyday experiences of asylum seekers in the ‘Direct Provision’ system in Ireland. Gender, Place & Culture, Vol. 25, Issue. 6, p. 821.
    An, Ji Hyun Lee, Kyoung Eun Lee, Hyo Chul Kim, Hae Soo Jun, Jin Yong Chang, Hye In Kim, Suk Sun Lee-Tauler, Su Yeon and Hong, Jin Pyo 2018. Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors among North Korean Defectors. Psychiatry Investigation, Vol. 15, Issue. 5, p. 445.
    Soller, Brian Goodkind, Jessica R. Greene, R. Neil Browning, Christopher R. and Shantzek, Cece 2018. Ecological Networks and Community Attachment and Support Among Recently Resettled Refugees. American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol. 61, Issue. 3-4, p. 332.
    Schininá, Guglielmo and Zanghellini, Thomas Eliyahu 2018. Mental Health and Illness in Migration. p. 1.
    Cleveland, Janet Kronick, Rachel Gros, Hanna and Rousseau, Cécile 2018. Symbolic violence and disempowerment as factors in the adverse impact of immigration detention on adult asylum seekers’ mental health. International Journal of Public Health,
    Sprung, Manuel 2018. Das Fremde: Flucht – Trauma – Resilienz. Vol. 2, Issue. , p. 55.
    Spadea, Teresa Rusciani, Raffaella Mondo, Luisa and Costa, Giuseppe 2018. Access to Primary Care and Preventative Health Services of Migrants. p. 57.
    Murphy, Rebecca Keogh, Brian and Higgins, Agnes 2018. Erosion of Meaning in Life: African Asylum Seekers’ Experiences of Seeking Asylum in Ireland. Journal of Refugee Studies,
    Negron, Andreia 2018. Supporting asylum seekers and refugees who suffer chronic pain: an experience. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 14, Issue. 1, p. 55.
    Filges, Trine Montgomery, Edith and Kastrup, Marianne 2018. The Impact of Detention on the Health of Asylum Seekers. Research on Social Work Practice, Vol. 28, Issue. 4, p. 399.
    Zwi, Karen Mares, Sarah Nathanson, Dania Tay, Alvin Kuowei and Silove, Derrick 2018. The impact of detention on the social–emotional wellbeing of children seeking asylum: a comparison with community-based children. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 27, Issue. 4, p. 411.
    Esses, Victoria M. Hamilton, Leah K. and Gaucher, Danielle 2017. The Global Refugee Crisis: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications for Improving Public Attitudes and Facilitating Refugee Resettlement. Social Issues and Policy Review, Vol. 11, Issue. 1, p. 78.
    Bogen, Rachel and Marlowe, Jay 2017. Asylum Discourse in New Zealand: Moral Panic and a Culture of Indifference. Australian Social Work, Vol. 70, Issue. 1, p. 104.
    Rimkeviciene, Jurgita O’Gorman, John and De Leo, Diego 2017. Suicidality in detention centres: a case study. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 13, Issue. 1, p. 106.
    Hartley, Lisa Fleay, Caroline and Tye, Marian E. 2017. Exploring physical activity engagement and barriers for asylum seekers in Australia coping with prolonged uncertainty and no right to work. Health & Social Care in the Community, Vol. 25, Issue. 3, p. 1190.
    Gordon, Michael S. and Melvin, Glenn A. 2017. Handbook of Australian School Psychology. p. 269.
    Sen, P. Arugnanaseelan, J. Connell, E. Katona, C. Khan, A. A. Moran, P. Robjant, K. Slade, K. Tan, J. Widyaratna, K. Youd, J. and Forrester, A. 2017. Mental health morbidity among people subject to immigration detention in the UK: a feasibility study. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, p. 1.
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Mental health implications of detaining asylum seekers: systematic review

  • Katy Robjant (a1), Rita Hassan (a2) and Cornelius Katona (a3)
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