Refugees mental health-A public mental health challenge.
In 2015, one million refugees came to Europe, and almost 4000 have died in the Mediterranean, this situation requires a timely and effective Public Mental Health answer.
Abstract
Mental health is central to health, and research has recognized the vulnerability of refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons in relation to mental health.1 Escalating wars and continuous conflicts contributed to mass displacement of people during 2015. By the end of 2015 almost 60 million individuals were forcibly displaced. In 2015, one million refugees came to Europe, and almost 4000 have died in the Mediterranean. This situation requires a timely and effective Public Mental Health answer (Box 1). Box 1 Definition The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defines a refugee as a person who ‘owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it’. An asylum seeker is a person seeking international protection whose claim has not been determined …