The Relationship Between Acculturative Stress and Postmigration Mental Health in Iraqi Refugee Women Resettled in San Diego, California

The Resettlement Journey: Understanding The Role of Social Connectedness on Well-being and Life Satisfaction among (Im)migrants and Refugees: A Systematic Review

In the context of rising global migration and/or forced displacement, there is a pressing need to consider the well-being and life satisfaction of (im)migrants and refugees during resettlement. Research highlights the importance of social connectedness for (im)migrants and refugees during the resettlement phase. Yet, a critical gap remains in our understanding of the key characteristics through which social connections exert their influence on well-being and life satisfaction. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the existing international literature on social connectedness and its impact on the well-being and life satisfaction of (im)migrants and refugees in post-migration contexts. Our analysis of 43 studies finds that social connectedness, in the form of social support and social networks, is beneficial for well-being and life satisfaction during resettlement. In addition to social support from individual network ties, community engagement can also enhance well-being by facilitating a sense of belonging. All 43 studies focused on psychological well-being and 69.8% relied on cross-sectional data. The findings of this review emphasise the need for longitudinal studies and standardised measurement tools to capture the dynamic interplay between social connectedness and well-being across various domains (psychological, physical, general/subjective) in migrant populations. We draw on the findings to propose a new conceptual model of the dynamic association between social connectedness and well-being/life satisfaction that seeks to explore these relationships in future empirical studies.

Suicidality Among Syrian Refugee Children in Jordan

History of adverse events in childhood is one of the strongest predictors of developing negative mental health outcomes with suicidality being the most devastating consequence. Syrian refugee children are at very high risk of developing mental illness, however, the prevalence and significance of suicidal thoughts among this population remains undocumented. A total of 339 Syrian refugee children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years and their parents living in Jordan were surveyed to assess resilience, depression and suicidality. Demographics and parental depression were correlated with child suicidality. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of suicidality within this population. A total of 94 (27.7%) children reported suicidal statements. In the multivariate analyses we found that younger children were more likely to state suicidal ideation than older children. Of the children who stated suicidal ideation, 49 were in primary school, 19 in pre-secondary and 26 in upper-secondary school. In the multivariate analyses, mild (OR 2.633 (95% CI 1.283, 5.709)) and high (OR 6.987 (95% CI 3.532, 14.614)) depression levels among the surveyed children were predictive of suicidality. Experiencing bullying was also predictive of suicidality (OR 2.181 (95% CI 1.179, 4.035)) when compared to those who did not report any bullying. We report high rates of suicidal ideation among Syrian refugee children, especially in children with exposure to pre-existing depression or bullying. Prevention through raising awareness, education and early detection of depression are needed to address suicidality in this and other vulnerable populations of children.

Suicide in first-generation Australian migrants, 2006-2019: a retrospective mortality study

Background

This study addressed the limited understanding of suicide risk and patterns among migrants in Australia. It examined national-level suicide rates and trends in the Australian population to identify migrant groups which are disproportionately affected by suicide.

Methods

The National Coronial Information System was used to identify suicide cases from 2006 to 2019. Incident rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) evaluated suicide risk for migrant groups compared to Australian-born and migrants from English-speaking countries. Age-standardised suicide rates (ASR) per 100,000 and average annual percentage change (AAPC) were calculated to compare suicide rates and trends.

Findings

Compared to the Australian-born population, all migrant males and females had significantly lower suicide risk, except females from Oceania countries. Females from European (IRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.13, 1.14) and Oceanian countries (IRR 1.25; 95% CI 0.95, 1.66) had an elevated suicide risk compared to female migrants from English-speaking countries. Male migrants from Oceania (ASR 20.4, AAPC 1.0 (-3.6, 5.8)) and Africa (ASR 18.0, AAPC -0.4 (-5.5, 4.9)) have high ASR with no significant changes in trend over the study duration. Female African migrants had an ASR of 5.3 per 100,000, which increased by 8% (95% CI 1.4, 15.0) between 2006 and 2019.

Interpretation

Migrants from Oceania and African countries are disproportionately affected by suicide mortality compared to other migrant groups in Australia. Further research is needed to identify the risk factors and develop suicide prevention strategies for these groups.

Funding

Suicide Prevention Australia, Australian Research Council.

Trauma Exposures, Resilience Factors, and Mental Health Outcomes in Persons Granted Asylum in the U.S. for Claims Related to Domestic Violence and Persecution by Organized Gangs

Survivors of domestic violence (DV) and of violence perpetrated by organized gangs (GV) face barriers to legal protection under U.S. asylum law. We abstracted data from 132 affidavits based on forensic medical evaluations of asylum seekers granted legal protection in the U.S. on the basis of DV and/or GV. We described claimants’ trauma exposures and resilience factors and used multiple logistic regression to quantify associations with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) diagnoses and improvement in mental health. People seeking asylum based on DV and/or GV have endured multiple types of trauma with significant impacts on their mental health. New experiences of trauma following migration to the U.S. were common and associated with DSM-5 diagnoses. Conversely, resilience factors were associated with improved mental health. Policies that aim to reduce ongoing trauma in the U.S. and to bolster resilience factors may promote asylee mental health and well-being.