Donate and Support Us - Centre For Migrant and Refugee Health

Overview

To improve the mental health and wellbeing of migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum, it is crucial to address and mitigate mental health disorders and health-related issues. To attain the desired quality of life and health outcomes, we continue to employ the strategy of creating and endorsing psychosocial programs and treatments, which encompass:

trauma-informed counselling and psychotherapy programs delivered with a group component
community-based psychoeducation and Allied Healthcare programs and campaign awareness
physical activity and sports-based programs
peer support and mentoring programs
addressing social determinants of health through the provision of food security (Food Bank)
targeted school-based programs, e.g., homework programs and education support for young people.

Mental health and help-seeking behaviour

Migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum are susceptible to psychological discomfort and general poor mental health in Australia due to a variety of factors, including past trauma and settling difficulties. However, the number of people seeking care is low and challenging, particularly for mental health issues. This is due mainly to a lack of knowledge about mental health issues, disparate cultural perspectives on mental illness, and the stigmas attached to them. Practitioners can be ignorant of this confluence of problems, its invisible nature, and the potential long-term effects.

Key Messages & Statistical Evidence

Key messages

High rates of mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, are present among refugees.
This population has a low rate of seeking professional mental health care, despite having a high level of symptoms.
Community-based initiatives have yielded encouraging outcomes, but there are still a number of obstacles that need to be removed before people can seek assistance, such as cost, cultural competency, and stigma.

Statistical Evidence

Mental illness can be as a result of stress, depression and other disorders that affect the state of physical, mental and social wellbeing of an individual of a given population.

Migrants, Refugees and People Seeking Asylum with Mental Health

Globally, refugees frequently experience extremely traumatic situations both in their country of origin and when travelling abroad. As a result, compared to the general population, there are higher rates of mental illness. Refugee trauma frequently affects families and communities more broadly than just the symptoms that affect the person (Silove, Ventevogel, & Rees, 2017).

According to estimates from Hamrah et al. (2020), approximately half of refugees worldwide suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a rate of 48.7%; another 50% experience anxiety and psychological distress; and 16% have severe mental illness (Chen, Hall, Ling, & Renzaho, 2017; Guajardo et al., 2018; Taylor et al., 2014). Despite this, research conducted in Australia indicates that only about 15% of people seek professional or informal support (Slewa-Younan et al., 2015).

The majority of the time, people turn to friends, family, or other unofficial sources when they need support (Nguyen et al., 2018; van der Boor & White, 2019). Less than 1 in 10 refugees in Australia with PTSD symptoms use specialized trauma and torture mental health services (4.6%–10%), according to Slewa-Younan et al. (2017).

Support our Foodbank to address Food Insecurity

Does food insecurity affect mental health?

In addition to its adverse effects on physical health, food insecurity has been shown to have a negative impact on mental health, particularly in youth. According to a 2012 study, youth who experience food poverty are more likely to experience mood, anxiety, behavioural, and substance use issues.

Social Isolation poises Vulnerability, Mental Illness and Discrimination

According to Cacioppo et al. (2002) and Grant et al. (2009) in Holt-Lunstad et al. (2015), social isolation has been connected to mental illness, emotional distress, suicide, the onset of dementia, early death, poor health behaviours, smoking, physical inactivity, and poor sleep, in addition to biological effects like high blood pressure and weakened immune system. Manera et al. (2022) and Shankar et al. (2015), social isolation is also linked to longer-lasting declines in emotions of wellbeing and increased psychological discomfort. On the other hand, more social interaction is linked to improved general health (Botha 2022).

Consider making a tax-deductible donation today

Join us in making a positive impact while maximizing the benefits of your generosity.

To continue offering our communities top-notch education and campaign awareness about mental health and related issues, we would like you to support our work in this area of community health.

Your contribution not only supports our cause but can also provide you with valuable tax benefits. Of course, none of these mental health areas of research, policy support and advocacy would be possible without the generous support from you and our communities.

Because of members and donors like you, we continue to provide critical mental health-building initiatives and new opportunities to network and make new connections through events, seminars, workshops, conferences, educational programs, and an extraordinary health leadership award celebration.

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References

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References

Botha F (2022) ‘Social connection and social support’, in Wilkins et al., The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey: selected findings from waves 1 to 20, Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, Melbourne.

Chen, W., Hall, B. J., Ling, L., & Renzaho, A. M. (2017). Pre-migration and post-migration factors associated with mental health in humanitarian migrants in Australia and the moderation effect of post-migration stressors: Findings from the first wave data of the BNLA cohort study. The Lancet: Psychiatry, 4(3), 218–229. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30032-9.

Geirdal AO, Ruffolo M, Leung J, Thygesen H, Price D, Bonsaksen T and Schoultz M (2021) ‘Mental health, quality of life, wellbeing, loneliness and use of social media in a time of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-country comparative study’, Journal of Mental Health, 30(2):148–155, doi:10.1080/09638237.2021.1875413.

Hamrah, M. S., Hoang, H., Mond, J., Pahlavanzade, B., Charkazi, A., & Auckland, S. (2020). The prevalence and correlates of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among resettled Afghan refugees in a regional area of Australia. Journal of Mental Health, 1–7. doi:10.1080/09638237.2020.1739247

Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Baker M, Harris T and Stephenson D (2015) ‘Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2):227–237, doi:10.1177/1745691614568352.

Manera KE, Smith BJ, Owen KB, Phongsavan P and Lim MH (2022) ‘Psychometric assessment of scales for measuring loneliness and social isolation: an analysis of the household, income and labour dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey’, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 20:40, doi:10.1186/s12955-022-01946-6.

Nguyen, P. V., Corona, R., DeCarlo, M. P., Yaros, A., Le, A. T., & Compton, K. (2018). Do Asian American young adults differ in their help seeking compared to older adults? Help seeking patterns and predictors. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 5(2), 1–15.

Shankar A, Rafnsson SB and Steptoe A (2015) ‘Longitudinal associations between social connections and subjective wellbeing in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing’, Psychology & Health, 30(6):686–698, doi:10.1080/08870446.2014.979823.

Silove, D., Ventevogel, P., & Rees, S. (2017). The contemporary refugee crisis: An overview of mental health challenges. World Psychiatry, 16(2), 130–139. doi:10.1002/wps.20438

Slewa-Younan, S., Mond, J. M., Bussion, E., Melkonian, M., Mohammad, Y., Dover, H. et al. (2015). Psychological trauma and help seeking behaviour amongst resettled Iraqi refugees in attending English tuition classes in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 9(1), 1–6. doi:10.1007/s12134-015-0441-1

Slewa-Younan, S., Yaser, A., Guajardo, M. G. U., Mannan, H., Smith, C. A., & Mond, J. M. (2017). The mental health and help-seeking behaviour of resettled Afghan refugees in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 11(1), 1–8. doi:10.1186/s13033-017-0157-z

Slewa-Younan, S., Blignault, I., Renzaho, A., & Doherty, M. (2018). Community-based mental health and wellbeing support for refugees: An evidence check rapid review brokered by the Sax Institute for the NSW Ministry of Health. Canberra: Sax Institute. Retrieved from www.saxinstitute.org.au/publications/community-based-mental-health-wellbeing-support-refugees

Slewa-Younan, S., Guajardo, M. G. U., Mohammad, Y., Lim, H., Martinez, G., Saleh, R., & Sapucci, M. (2020). An evaluation of a mental health literacy course for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders in Australia: Effects on posttraumatic stress disorder related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 14(1), 1–11. doi.org/doi:10.1186/s13033-020-00401-7

Taylor, E. M., Yanni, E. A., Guterbock, M., Pezzi, C., Rothney, E., Harton, E. et al. (2014). Physical and mental health status of Iraqi refugees resettled in the United States. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 16(6), 1130–1137. doi:10.1007/s10903-013-9893-6

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2002, September). Refugee resettlement: An international handbook to guide reception and integration. Geneva: UNHCR. Retrieved from www.refworld.org/docid/405189284.html

Van Bibber, M. (1997). It takes a community: A resource manual for community-based prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects. Toronto, ON: Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada.

van der Boor, C. F., & White, R. (2019). Barriers to accessing and negotiating mental health services in asylum seeking and refugee populations: The application of the candidacy framework. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 22(1), 156–174. doi:10.1007/s10903-019-00929-y

Centre for Migrant and Refugee Health

We are here to help you!

Our services include onsite, referral, and outreach (home-based) programs. We provide culturally safe, appropriate interventions and mental healthcare-specific services. In addition, the centre supports research and advocates for policies that eliminate systemic inequities and inequalities in accessing mental health and healthcare services.