Post-traumatic stress disorder among asylum seekers and refugees in Istanbul may be predicted by torture and loss due to violence

Abstract

Background: Turkey is both a source and target for asylum seekers seeking refugee status in countries of European Union. There is a scarcity of research on the mental health issues of asylum seekers and refugees residing in Turkey. Aims: This study aimed: 1) to provide clinical and demographic information on asylum seekers and refugees receiving mental health services from a non-governmental refugee support program in Istanbul between 2005 and 2007, and 2) to evaluate the differences between patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with those who did not meet criteria. Methods: The study was conducted at the Mental Health Division of the Refugee Advocacy Support Group. Between July 2005 and February 2007, 1209 asylum seekers applied to the support group; 75 of these individuals (6.2%) were referred for psychiatric evaluation while 57 were diagnosed as having a psychopathology. The number of analyzed subjects was 57. Results: PTSD and major depressive disorder were the most common diagnoses (55.2% for both). The most common criteria of PTSD reported were problems in concentration and social isolation (97.3% for both). Suffering torture and losing a significant other due to violence were found to be associated with a diagnosis of PTSD. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind to be conducted on a mixed refugee population residing in Turkey and focusing on their mental health problems. Our results should be tested within larger samples of refugees residing in different cities of Turkey.

• Major depressive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Refugee
• Torture

Declaration of interest:

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Psychologists Yasemin Ozan, Rahel Layiktez and Suzi Amado worked for varying intervals within the Mental Health division of RLAP and we are grateful for their support. We would like to thank the Centre for Psychological Trauma of the Psychiatry Department of Kocaeli University Medical Faculty and last but not least to its director; Tamer Aker, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, for their support.

Disclosure

The mental health program, which was the source of this study, was supported by the European Union, Institute for Open Society, Association of Heinrich Böll-Stiftung, British Consulate General in Istanbul, Canadian International Development Agency and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights-UN. Part of this study was presented as a poster at the 5th International Psychological Trauma Symposium: “Digging up wounds, healing wounds”/Point Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey, 7–9 December 2007. No part of this study has been submitted elsewhere for publication and the authors have no financial affiliation or supports to disclose. All efforts have been undertaken to maintain the ethical standards in the study and informed consent was procured from the patients. All of the authors have made genuine and substantive contributions to this paper, read it in detail and approved its release.