Izlaganje sa skupa
PROVIDING PSYCHIATRIC HEALTHCARE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS: REFLECTIONS AND CHALLENGES
Ophélie Derlet
; Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
Gérald Deschietere
; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
Sažetak
Background: According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the number of people forced to leave their home
as a result of conflict, persecution, violence or human rights violations remains high with 68.5 million forcibly displaced people
worldwide. Asylum seekers are vulnerable in terms of mental health but they receive very little specific psychiatric care. The purpose
of this literature review is to examine current situation regarding asylum seekers’ psychiatric healthcare.
Subjects and methods: This research was conducted using a keyword search on Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar.
Results: The literature on the management of the mental health of asylum seekers focuses on the issue of post-traumatic stress
disorder. There is little data on other forms of mental illness in this population. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder
among asylum seekers is higher than in the general population and its clinical expression is varied and often complex because it
involves various vulnerability factors. Guidelines for post-traumatic stress disorder recommend cognitive behavioral therapy with, in
some cases, the use of pharmacotherapy. Given the specificities of the asylum seekers’ population, in many cases it is not possible to
set up such therapy immediately. Asylum seekers face a number of challenges in accessing mental healthcare.
Conclusion: Management of the mental health of asylum seekers requires special attention and guidelines for the general
population are not directly applicable to this specific population. The literature focuses on the issue of post-traumatic stress
disorder. This review was not able to analyse the state of existing care offer in Belgium for managing the mental health of asylum
seekers and the care pathways they take.
Ključne riječi
asylum seekers; mental health; treatment
Hrčak ID:
264123
URI
Datum izdavanja:
4.9.2019.
Posjeta: 233 *