The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers-A Narrative Review of the Literature. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: El Tatary, Ghassan; Gill, Neeraj
• Is Part Of: Australasian psychiatry. Volume 30:Number 6(2022)
• Page Start: 728
• Page End: 731
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Asylum seekers -- refugees -- COVID-19 pandemic -- mental health -- wellbeing; Psychiatry -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1177/10398562221131154
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1039-8562

Abstract

Objective: To identify the factors affecting refugees and asylum seekers mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A narrative review of available international research literature from January 2020 to June 2021 was conducted to identify these factors. Results: Seven factors were identified: pre-existing physical health vulnerabilities, pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities, environmental, social, cultural-specific, economic and legal/welfare challenges. Conclusion: Multiple interacting bio-psycho-socio-economic-cultural-ecological factors lead to greater impact of COVID-19 pandemic on refugee and asylum seekers wellbeing than the general population.