Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychiatric co-morbidity: symptoms in a random sample of female Bosnian refugees

Depression and anxiety in female refugees from East Africa and the Middle East displaced to Germany: cross-sectional results of the female refugee study, taking sociodemographic and migration-related factors into account

At the end of 2022, 108.4 million people around the world were forcibly displaced, the highest number ever recorded. Of these, 50% were women. Despite this situation, little is known about the mental health of female refugees. The first aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among female refugees in Germany. The second aim was to examine which sociodemographic and migration-related variables have an impact on refugees' mental health, and the third aim was to assess the potential predictors of their mental health. A sample of 92 female refugees from East Africa and the Middle East living in Germany were interviewed. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25). The experience of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) was assessed using the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). In our sample of female refugees, 65.2% reported symptoms of depression, and 60.9% reported symptoms of anxiety. Symptoms of depression or anxiety were associated with being from the Middle East, having a higher level of education, and reporting more PTEs. The multiple regression model for anxiety was able to explain 32.4% of the variance in anxiety symptoms. The findings highlight the high burden of mental health problems that female refugees bear. The identified predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms should sensitize medical and refugee professionals to identify vulnerable individuals and groups, refer them to appropriate psychological treatment, and, where possible, modify the identified predictors.

Exploring gender differences in the relationships among childhood maltreatment, PTSD, and depression in young adults through network analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

College students who have experienced childhood maltreatment commonly exhibit adverse psychological consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The aim of this study is to use network analysis to investigate the gender differences in complex connections among various types of childhood maltreatment, PTSD, and depression.

METHODS

This study involved 481 participants (M = 19.25 years, 54.5 % female) who were selected from a larger sample of 5231 college students. These participants had experienced childhood maltreatment and exhibited significant clinical symptoms of PTSD and depression. The participants completed validated measures that assessed childhood trauma, PTSD, and depression.

RESULTS

The network analysis performed on the entire sample revealed robust connections among various types of childhood maltreatment, symptom clusters of PTSD, and depression. The most central symptom that emerged was negative alterations in cognitions and mood (NACM), with emotional abuse displaying the highest centrality measure among the various types of childhood maltreatment. Upon comparing the subnetworks, the centrality analysis identified significant gender differences in nodes such as sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, and avoidance.

CONCLUSIONS

The study's findings confirm that various forms of childhood abuse have intricate and multifaceted connections with depression and PTSD symptoms in adulthood. The study suggests that NACM could be the most significant symptom, and emotional abuse may play a vital role in adverse psychological outcomes. Furthermore, notable gender discrepancies were identified in the relationship between various forms of maltreatment and psychopathological symptoms.

Forced migration-induced diminished social networks and support, and its impact on the emotional wellbeing of older refugees in Western countries: A scoping review

As the number of refugees continues to increase globally, so does the number of older adults forced to migrate from their home region to Western countries. Many of these older refugees lose their social networks and support to the events leading to forced migration and may be unable to recreate them once resettled. We used Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework to explore how forced migration has diminished the social networks and support of older refugees in Western countries and its impact on their emotional well-being. Eight databases were searched for the review; abstracts were reviewed using Rayyan QCRi(c) before the full-text review. A total of 25 studies were included in the final analysis, and findings revealed that forced migration reduced the quantity of social networks and the quality of social support older refugees received. The reduced social network and support led to social isolation, increased migration-related grief, and mental health challenges. Advances in digital technology are not yet capable of filling the support gap. With this, we hope to inform future research on the social support needs of older refugees and raise awareness of the need for humanitarian support intervention to cushion the impact of the migration-induced loss of social networks and support.

Global prevalence of anxiety and PTSD in immigrants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A systematic and meta-analysis of the prevalence of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in immigrants was conducted.

METHODS

Based on the keywords, scientific databases were systematically searched to identify articles. The search included the three databases PubMed, Google Scholar and Research Gate until June 2020. The analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and PTSD; subgroups were examined based on anxiety disorders.

RESULTS

The prevalence of agoraphobia, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social phobia and specific phobia were 4, 25, 9, 4, 3, 5 and 8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the findings of the present study regarding the significant prevalence of anxiety and PTSD in the immigrant population, it is necessary to pay special attention to the mental health of this population.

The symptom structure of posttraumatic stress disorder and co-morbid depression among college students with childhood abuse experience: A network analysis

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are highly co-morbid among individuals with childhood abuse history, while the mechanism of the co-morbidity is highly debated. This study sought to extent the work among college students with network analysis, which is a novel method that sees the co-morbidity from a symptom interacting perspective.

METHODS

Data was collected from 476 college students who were assessed to have childhood abuse history, PTSD and depression at the same time, using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire- Short Form, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression. We created a Graphical Gaussian Model (GGM) network to show associations between symptom pairs and a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) to estimate potential casual relationships among symptoms.

RESULTS

The GGM network was reliably stable, feeling sad (Depression) and trouble experiencing positive feelings (PTSD) were the most central nodes. Trouble experiencing positive feelings and several negative affect symptoms, sleep problems and difficulty in concentrating were acting as important bridging nodes. The DAG network suggested the key triggering roles of exaggerated startle (PTSD) and several re-experiencing symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The study used cross-sectional data and self-reported measures. Results from network analysis could be affected by scale factors and contain spurious correlations.

CONCLUSIONS

In the childhood-abuse-related co-morbid structure, several negative affect symptoms both in PTSD and depression have pivotal roles, hyper-arousal symptoms and re-experiencing symptoms could trigger the co-morbid structure. Illustrating the strength and limitations of network analysis, this study help target the potentially influential symptoms for better clinical intervention.

Close Relations Matter: The Association Between Depression and Refugee Status in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

This study examined the prevalence and social determinants of depression among refugee and non-refugee adults aged 45-85 in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Bivariate analyses and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of depression was higher in a sample of 272 refugees (22.1%) and 5059 non-refugee immigrants (16.6%), compared to 24,339 native-born Canadians (15.2%). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of depression for refugees were not attenuated when controlling factors such as, (1) socioeconomic status, (2) health conditions and behaviours, (3) social isolation and online social networking (aORs range from 1.61 to 1.70, p's < 0.05). However, when social support representing close personal relationships was included, the odds of depression for refugees were reduced to non-significance (aOR = 1.30, 95% CI 0.97-1.74, p = 0.08). Refugees' excess vulnerability to depression is mainly attributable to lower levels of affectionate social support. Targeted interventions in nurturing supportive interpersonal relationships for refugees are warranted.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Northern Greece

We aimed at assessing the health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Greece. The SF-36 Health Survey was used to assess participants' HRQoL. Participants were contacted in person. Correlation and dependence tests were employed to examine the association of participants' demographic, residence-related and medical-related characteristics with the two SF-36 component (physical-PCS/mental-MCS) scales. Regressions were conducted to investigate the effect of these characteristics on component scales. Refugees and asylum seekers (n = 161) living in urban apartments and camps in Northern Greece participated in the study reporting poor HRQoL (PCS = 43.9, MCS = 39.5). Age, gender, duration of stay, benefits offered by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), type of accommodation, suffering from a serious health problem and receipt of medication were associated with HRQoL. This study constitutes the first research assessing HRQoL of refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Greece.

Predicting Posttraumatic Stress and Depression Symptoms Among Frontline Firefighters in China

To investigate the prevalence and comorbidity rate of potential posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in frontline firefighters in China, as well as to analyze the related predictive factors for PTSD and depression, our study included 261 firefighters who completed assessments including the Demographic Data Forum, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Chinese version of Perceived Stress Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale. Among the participants, 1.9% and 11.9% were identified as having potential PTSD and depression, respectively. There was a 9.1% chance of comorbid PTSD among the depressed firefighters and a 60% chance of comorbid depression among the firefighters with PTSD. Perceived stress positively predicted both PTSD and depression; perceived social support negatively predicted both PTSD and depression. Whereas family exogenous support predicted both PTSD and depression, family endogenous support only predicted depression. In addition, PTSD was predicted by rank. Soldiers and sergeants demonstrated higher level of PTSD than officers. Future studies on mental health of firefighters should take factors like perceived stress, social support, and rank into consideration.

Right temporal pole volume reduction in PTSD

Previous magnetic resonance imaging studies of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have reported cortical volume alterations in the parahippocampal, anterior cingulate cortex, and temporal pole. It is unclear, however, if these cortical regions are specifically associated with PTSD or associated with common comorbidities. Here, we present the result of cortical volume differences between PTSD and healthy and psychiatric controls. In this study, healthy controls (n = 67) were matched for demographic characteristics (age, sex, race) and psychiatric controls (n = 67) were matched for demographic characteristics plus all other psychiatric diagnoses (past and current) to a group of PTSD patients (N = 67). We assessed group differences of 34 bilateral cortical structure volumes using statistically defined brain regions-of-interest from FreeSurfer between PTSD patients and healthy controls. We found 10 regions to be significantly different between PTSD and healthy controls and analyzed the group differences between PTSD and psychiatric controls within these regions. The right temporal pole volume in PTSD was found to be significantly smaller than both healthy and psychiatry controls. Our finding suggests only right temporal pole volume reduction is specifically associated with PTSD, and also highlights the need for using appropriate controls in psychiatry research.

Application of fuzzy DEMATEL–ANP methods for siting refugee camps

Purpose

The aim of this paper was to investigate the criteria and sub-criteria with the most impact on determining a suitable location for refugee camps. This paper also analysed the relationships between the main criteria used in the selection process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied a combination of fuzzy methods and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) methods as tools for multiple-criteria decision analysis. A questionnaire was distributed to field workers in an international humanitarian organization team.

Findings

Five main criteria and twenty sub-criteria were defined. Between them, the highest ranked sub-criteria were long-term planning, optimal distribution and opportunity for growth. These findings were specific to the interviewed respondents of presented research at the time the data were collected and offer a potential research design for future research examining different organizations and teams.

Research limitations/implications

The methods and evaluation were based on human opinions that were potentially biased.

Practical implications

The results of this study could be useful to government organizations, UN agencies, humanitarian organizations and other decision-making parties in selecting camp locations for refugees or internally displaced people according to how the importance of particular sub-criteria is understood.

Originality/value

New sub-criteria were included in this research. To date, the combination of fuzzy, DEMATEL and ANP methods has not been previously used in relation to these issues. Scientific knowledge concerning refugee camp siting problems is limited. This research extends this knowledge with the involvement of humanitarian workers as respondents. This paper also offers organizations a process for solving complex decision-making problems with long-term results or effect.

Psychiatric disorders after an accident: Predictors and the influence of the psychiatric condition prior to an accident

Background

The goal of this study is to assess prevalence and incidence of psychiatric sequelae in a sample of inpatient accident survivors. Such an attempt to assess psychiatric conditions that originate due to an accident seems to be important; this does not include psychiatric conditions already present prior to the accident.

Method

208 accident victims were consecutively examined over a period of 12 months using DSM-IV diagnostic assessment, CAPS, and self-evaluating questionnaires as well as ISS for injury severity. A predictor model for psychiatric disorders was set up.

Results

Incidence of newly developed Axis I disorders in our sample was 14.2% (6 months) and 12.3% (12 months). Incidence of PTSD was 5.9% (6 months) and 2.5% (12 months). Comorbidity was a general phenomenon. The psychiatric condition prior to the accident could be identified as a predictor for the development of Axis I disorders. The subjectively evaluated intensity of experienced threat to life and female gender were the main predictors for the development of PTSD.

Conclusions

Accidents can lead to different psychiatric disorders. PTSD as a single diagnosis is rare. Without taking into account pre-existing disorders, the incidence may be overestimated. Two predictor models for the development of PTSD and other mental disorders are presented.

Comorbidity of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety in flood survivors: Prevalence and shared risk factors

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety are both prevalent in trauma-related populations. However, comorbidity of these 2 psychiatric disorders has not been investigated in flood survivors. This study aimed to estimate the extent to which PTSD and anxiety co-occur in flood survivors, and identify shared risk factors for PTSD only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety.Individuals who experienced Dongting Lake flood in 1998 were enrolled in this study using stratified and systematic random sampling method. Information on social support, personality traits, PTSD, and anxiety was collected using self-report questionnaires. The intensity of exposure to the flood was measured by some questions. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with PTSD only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety.In all, 325 participants were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety among survivors of the 1998 Dongting Lake flood at 17-year follow-up was 9.54%, 9.23%, and 6.15%, respectively. Furthermore, 64.52% of those with PTSD had anxiety and 66.67% of those with anxiety had PTSD. Loss of relative, injury of body, damage of house, and emotional instability were shared risk factors for PTSD only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety, in comparison with neither PTSD nor anxiety.Post-traumatic stress disorder only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety are prevalent in flood survivors, and are both related to the intensity of exposure to the flood and personality traits, indicating that integrated intervention strategies of PTSD and anxiety for flood survivors are needed.

Long-term psychological outcomes of flood survivors of hard-hit areas of the 1998 Dongting Lake flood in China: Prevalence and risk factors

Background

Although numerous studies have indicated that exposure to natural disasters may increase survivors’ risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety, studies focusing on the long-term psychological outcomes of flood survivors are limited. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of PTSD and anxiety among flood survivors 17 years after the 1998 Dongting Lake flood and to identify the risk factors for PTSD and anxiety.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2015, 17 years after the 1998 Dongting Lake flood. Survivors in hard-hit areas of the flood disaster were enrolled in this study using a stratified, systematic random sampling method. Well qualified investigators conducted face-to-face interviews with participants using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian version, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Chinese version of the Social Support Rating Scale and the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Short Scale for Chinese to assess PTSD, anxiety, social support and personality traits, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with PTSD and anxiety.

Results

A total of 325 participants were recruited in this study, and the prevalence of PTSD and anxiety was 9.5% and 9.2%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that female sex, experiencing at least three flood-related stressors, having a low level of social support, and having the trait of emotional instability were risk factors for long-term adverse psychological outcomes among flood survivors after the disaster.

Conclusions

PTSD and anxiety were common long-term adverse psychological outcomes among flood survivors. Early and effective psychological interventions for flood survivors are needed to prevent the development of PTSD and anxiety in the long run after a flood, especially for individuals who are female, experience at least three flood-related stressors, have a low level of social support and have the trait of emotional instability.

A case-control study of self-reported health, quality-of-life and general functioning among recent immigrants and age- and sex-matched Swedish-born controls

Aim: To examine whether new immigrants had inferior quality-of-life, well-being and general functioning compared with Swedish age- and sex-matched controls. Methods: A prospective case–control study was designed including immigrants from non-European countries, 18–65 years of age, with recent Permanent Permits to Stay (PPS) in Sweden, and age- and sex-matched Swedish-born (SB) persons from the general population in Västmanland County, Sweden. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life (WHOQOL-BREF) Scale and the General Activity Functioning Assessment Scale (GAF) from DSM-IV were posted (SB), or applied in personal interviews (PPS) with interpreters. Differences between the PPS and SB groups were measured using McNemar’s test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test conducted separately for observations at baseline, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Results: There were 93 pairs (mean age 36 years). Persons from Somalia (67%) and Iraq (27%) dominated the PPS group. The differences between the groups were statistically significant for all time points for the Psychological health and Social relationship domains of WHOQOL-BREF, and for the baseline and 6-month follow-up time points of GHQ-12 where the PPS-group had a higher degree of well-being, health and quality-of-life than the SB. This tendency applied for both sexes in the immigrant group. Conclusions: These new immigrants did not have inferior physical or psychological health, quality-of-life, well-being or social functioning compared with their age- and sex-matched Swedish born pairs during a 1-year follow-up. Thus, there is reason to advocate immigrants’ fast integration into society.

Mental health and PTSD in female North Korean refugees

This study was conducted to identify mental health status, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychophysiological change in female North Korean refugees. Data were collected using questionnaires and symptom checklists that measured PTSD and the psychosomatic state of the subjects. As many as 97 subjects, who had settled in and around Seoul, South Korea, were selected by snowball sampling. Mental health and PTSD levels of the participants were above a moderate level. We conclude that health care professionals need to provide female North Korean defectors with services to improve mental health and make the sociocultural transition successfully.

Smoking during pregnancy among immigrants to Sweden, 1992-2008: the effects of secular trends and time since migration

BACKGROUND

Smoking during pregnancy has been declining in the past decades in high-income countries, including Sweden. Paradoxically, increasing trends associated with duration of residence have been reported among immigrants. We aimed to clarify how these two contrasting trends have shaped smoking patterns among immigrants.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based study of 1 598 433 pregnancies in Sweden in the period 1992-2008. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the odds of mild and heavy smoking relative to no smoking associated with year of delivery, years since migration, maternal region of birth and their interaction, after controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The prevalence of smoking decreased for the Swedish-born and for immigrants during the study period. Among immigrants, duration of residence was independently associated with increases in smoking and varied according to maternal region of birth (P-value for interaction <0.001). The odds ratio associated with a 10-year increase in duration of residence was weakest for mild smoking among former Yugoslav women (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval: 1.10; 1.04-1.17) and those from other Nordic countries (1.22; 1.17-1.26) and strongest for heavy smoking among East African (4.46; 3.23-6.16) and sub-Saharan African (3.56; 2.68-4.72) women. The association between duration of residence and smoking was attenuated after stratifying by cohorts of arrival among European but not among non-European immigrants.

CONCLUSIONS

Declines in smoking during pregnancy among immigrants from various regions of the world were differentially affected by opposite increasing trends throughout their residence in Sweden.

Post-traumatic stress disorder as a comorbidity: impact on disease outcomes

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with many psychiatric and nonpsychiatric comorbidities. Growing evidence suggests that PTSD as a comorbidity may impair drug adherence, quality of life and sleep quality, as well as increase rehospitalization rates, disease relapses, intensity of symptoms, morbidity and mortality. The aim of this article is to examine the literature regarding the effects of PTSD comorbidity on physical and mental health.

Refugee, asylum seeker, immigrant women and postnatal depression: rates and risk factors

Postnatal depression (PND) is recognised as a common maternal health problem, but little evidence examines PND among refugee, asylum seeker and immigrant women in developed country settings. This review aimed to identify the rates of PND and highlight common risk factors among this group of women. An iterative and dynamic literature search was conducted across ten databases to identify published articles on PND among immigrant, asylum-seeking and refugee women in developed country settings. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and 'free text' search terms, as well as thesaurus terms, acronyms and truncation were used where appropriate. Findings suggest that PND may affect up to 42% of migrant women, compared to around 10-15% of native-born women. Common risk factors for PND among migrant women include history of stressful life events, lack of social support and cultural factors. With a growing number of babies born to immigrant mothers, greater awareness of PND among this group is needed in order to respond to their particular maternal mental health needs. Maternity care providers should regard all recent immigrants as at high risk of PND and give closer observation and support as necessary.

Comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression: a 20-year longitudinal study of war veterans

BACKGROUND

This study aims to: (a) follow-up the prevalence of comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression; (b) determine the chronological relations between these disorder; and (c) examine whether PTSD comorbid with anxiety and depression is implicated in more impaired functioning than PTSD by itself.

METHODS

664 war veterans were followed up 1, 2, and 20 years after their participation in the 1982 Lebanon War. Comorbidity was assessed by self reported PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms; impairment in psychosocial functioning was assessed by self reported problems in occupational, social, sexual and family functioning.

RESULTS

At each point of assessment, rates of triple comorbidity (PTSD, anxiety and depression; 26.7-30.1%) were higher than rates of PTSD, either by itself (9.3-11.1%), or comorbid with depression (1.2-4.5%) or anxiety (2.9-4.5%). PTSD predicted depression, anxiety, and comorbid disorders, but not vice versa. At time 1 and 2 assessments, triple comorbidity was associated with more impaired functioning than PTSD alone. In addition, triple comorbidity at Time 2 was associated with more impaired functioning than double comorbidity.

LIMITATIONS

Since measurements did not cover the entire span of 20 years since the war, the entire spectrum of changes could not be monitored.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost one half of war veterans would endorse a lifetime triple comorbidity, and those who do, are likely to have more impaired functioning. The findings support the perspective that views PTSD as the dominant disorder following traumatic events, which impels the development of comorbid anxiety and depression.

Psychiatric morbidity in adult Kashmiri migrants living in a migrant camp at Jammu

BACKGROUND

There are 14.9 million refugees and 22 million internally displaced persons in the world. The clinical and research literature shows a significant degree of psychological stress among refugees with relatively high levels of physical and psychological dysfunction in them.

AIMS

To determine the prevalence of various psychiatric disorders among Kashmiri migrants settled in a migrant camp at Jammu

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted on adults of Kashmiri migrant families residing in Muthi camp at Jammu. Three hundred families (150 each from two camps) were taken up for the study. Psychopathology was measured using Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview Schedule (MINI). The data was categorized according to age, sex, education. The data was analyzed using Chi-square test with Yate's correction wherever required. P-value less than 0.05 was taken as significant.

RESULTS

Psychiatric morbidity was more in migrant population 33.66% (n=208) than in controls 26% (n=52) with major depressive episode being the most common diagnosis

CONCLUSIONS

Depression, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) were statistically more prevalent among migrants than in controls.

The physical and mental health of Australian Vietnam veterans 3 decades after the war and its relation to military service, combat, and post-traumatic stress disorder

The long-term health consequences of war service remain unclear, despite burgeoning scientific interest. A longitudinal cohort study of a random sample of Australian Vietnam veterans was designed to assess veterans' postwar physical and mental health 36 years after the war (2005-2006) and to examine its relation to Army service, combat, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) assessed 14 years previously (1990-1993). Prevalences in veterans (n = 450) were compared with those in the Australian general population. Veterans' Army service and data from the first assessments were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression prediction modeling. Veterans' general health and some health risk factors were poorer and medical consultation rates were higher than Australian population expectations. Of 67 long-term conditions, the prevalences of 47 were higher and the prevalences of 4 were lower when compared with population expectations. Half of all veterans took some form of medication for mental well-being. The prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses exceeded Australian population expectations. Military and war service characteristics and age were the most frequent predictors of physical health endpoints, while PTSD was most strongly associated with psychiatric diagnoses. Draftees had better physical health than regular enlistees but no better mental health. Army service and war-related PTSD are associated with risk of illness in later life among Australian Vietnam veterans.

Depression and anxiety in labor migrants and refugees--a systematic review and meta-analysis

Prevalence rates of depression and anxiety among migrants (i.e. refugees, labor migrants) vary among studies and it's been found that prevalence rates of depression and anxiety may be linked to financial strain in the country of immigration. Our aim is to review studies on prevalence rates of depression and/or anxiety (acknowledging that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is within that class of disorders), and to evaluate associations between the Gross National Product (GNP) of the immigration country as a moderating factor for depression, anxiety and PTSD among migrants. We carried out a systematic literature review in the databases MEDLINE and EMBASE for population based studies published from 1990 to 2007 reporting prevalence rates of depression and/or anxiety and or PTSD according to DSM- or ICD- criteria in adults, and a calculation of combined estimates for proportions using the DerSimonian-Laird estimation. A total of 348 records were retrieved with 37 publications on 35 populations meeting our inclusion criteria. 35 studies were included in the final evaluation. Our meta-analysis shows that the combined prevalence rates for depression were 20 percent among labor migrants vs. 44 percent among refugees; for anxiety the combined estimates were 21 percent among labor migrants vs. 40 percent among (n=24,051) refugees. Higher GNP in the country of immigration was related to lower symptom prevalence of depression and/or anxiety in labor migrants but not in refugees. We conclude that depression and/or anxiety in labor migrants and refugees require separate consideration, and that better economic conditions in the host country reflected by a higher GNP appear to be related to better mental health in labor migrants but not in refugees.

Concordance between Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10) and Pakistan Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (PADQ), in a rural self-motivated population in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

There have been no previous studies conducted in Pakistan comparing the concordance of any well established Western anxiety/depression screening instrument with an indigenous scale, in a community based setting.

METHODS

Participants (n = 1040) in the present study were recruited from the six villages of our interest from the district Gujarat of Pakistan, using a convenient sampling technique. Interview versions of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 10-item version (HSCL-10) and the Pakistani Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (PADQ) were used to observe the pattern of anxiety and depression among the participants.

RESULTS

The internal consistency of HSCL-10 and PADQ were 0.86 and 0.84 respectively. Exploratory factor analysis found evidence for both a one-dimensional (distress) and a two-dimensional (anxiety and depression) solution for the HSCL-10, but only a one-dimensional (distress) solution for the PADQ. The HSCL-10 and PADQ found to be moderately to highly correlated (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001, 0.73 after correction for attenuation).

CONCLUSION

HSCL-10 has shown good screening abilities in a rural setting in Pakistan, and moderate to good concordance with an indigenous instrument measuring psychological distress. The HSCL-10 can therefore be used as a screening instrument, both in clinical and epidemiological settings in Pakistan, and for Pakistani immigrants living in Western societies.