Mental Health and Resilience in Eritrean and Somali Refugees in Switzerland: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we determined the frequency of clinically relevant mental health conditions among Eritrean and Somali refugees in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland and assessed their levels of resilience.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study among refugees aged ≥16 years involved validated questionnaires, screening for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), somatic disorders, anxiety, depression, and assessments of alcohol use and resilience.

RESULTS

The 102 participants were young (median age 34 years), Eritrean (N = 88; 86%), males (N = 62), with long periods of staying in Switzerland (median 8.6 years). Almost three-quarters (N = 69/99; 70%) had high resilience scores (median 86). We found low frequencies of moderate or severe symptoms of PTSD (7%), anxiety (0%) and depression (1%). However, symptoms for somatic disorders (18%) and harmful levels of alcohol use (12%) were more common.

CONCLUSION

While the overall levels of resilience are impressively high, a large proportion of participants exhibited symptoms of somatic disorders and harmful levels of alcohol use - well beyond the early adaptation phase. This highlights the need for long-term mental healthcare beyond the time of arrival to ensure their wellbeing.