Mental health and psychosocial needs of Syrian refugees and the role of Syrian non-governmental organisations (original) (raw)
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Mental Health and Psychosocial Needs of Syrian Refugees: A Literature Review and Future Directions
Since 2011, the Syrian refugee crisis has resulted in a massive displacement of Syrians, inside and outside of Syria. The enormous psychosocial needs of displaced Syrians have been documented by various reports and studies. With expected arrivals of Syrian refugees resettling in the United States in the near future, the intensity of the challenges for both resettlement agencies and the Syrian refugees themselves are expected to increase. A literature review was conducted for publications produced between March 2011 and January 2017. Academic and grey literature were explored to provide an overview of the psychosocial well-being and cultural characteristics of Syrians. Additionally, current models were analyzed to identify future directions for social work practice. It is vital to understand the Syrian refugee crisis through a multidisciplinary lens. Responding to the challenges found among Syrians requires deliberate consideration for sociocultural, historical, and political issues that uniquely describe them and their contexts. Identifying psychosocial needs may facilitate other aspects of resettlement outcomes, such as employment, education, and social integration. Incorporating a holistic model that reflects trauma-informed and human rights perspectives into clinical as well as policy practices is critical for better overall resettlement outcomes for Syrian refugees, and refugee populations in general.
Following the massive influx to Lebanon of Syrians fleeing armed conflict, the UNHCR and various NGOs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), are providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) for Syrian refugees. However little is known about the functioning of these services and their implications in terms of defining the experience of suffering of refugees. Methods: we conducted a study of MHPSS services based on a review of documents published by UNHCR, MoPH, and relevant NGOs, as well as the analysis of the discourse of health care professionals/policymakers. 60 semi-structured interviews were conducted with informants from various organizations. The questions focused on their experience with the services, the main challenges encountered and their perceptions of the Syrian refugees and their problems. The list of organizations was taken from a service mapping by the MoPh. Findings: MHPSS interventions in Lebanon endorse the Inter Agency Standing Committee Guidelines that prioritize community-based interventions. Yet, in practice they promote individual-focused, clinical and short-term interventions rather than long term ones. Health care professionals perceive Syrian refugees as lacking awareness on mental health disorders and needing education in this regard; but most of them lack knowledge about the Syrians' patterns of social strengths and weaknesses and their perceived needs in terms of mental health. Conclusion: Based on our findings, we reflect on the relevance of " evidence-based " interventions in this particular setting and suggest recommendations for sustainable and culturally sensitive mental health interventions.
Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugees in Turkey
Movements such as the Arab Spring (as described by popular media) and recent regional conflicts have forced people to leave their homes and flee to other countries or regions. Syrian refugees are currently the second largest refugee group worldwide, with half of them resettled in Turkey. Turkish government and non-governmental civil organizations have mobilized efforts to address the immediate survival needs of these refugees such as food, shelter and other provisions. Despite efforts to manage the complexity of mental health and social service needs of forcibly displaced people, counseling services are still lacking. This expository article addresses the mental health needs of Syrian refugees and provides implications for counseling professionals working with displaced people from a crisis intervention approach built on principles and perspectives of humanistic mental health. In addition, programs of support, such as the Mental Health Facilitator program, are discussed.
European journal of psychotraumatology, 2017
The crisis in Syria has resulted in vast numbers of refugees seeking asylum in Syria's neighbouring countries as well as in Europe. Refugees are at considerable risk of developing common mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most refugees do not have access to mental health services for these problems because of multiple barriers in national and refugee specific health systems, including limited availability of mental health professionals. To counter some of challenges arising from limited mental health system capacity the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a range of scalable psychological interventions aimed at reducing psychological distress and improving functioning in people living in communities affected by adversity. These interventions, including Problem Management Plus (PM+) and its variants, are intended to be delivered through individual or group face-to-face or smartphone formats by lay, non-professional...
Mental health of resettled Syrian refugees: a practical cross-cultural guide for practitioners
The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, 2019
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prepare healthcare providers in high-income countries to deal with mental health and psychosocial issues among resettled Syrian refugees. Design/methodology/approach Collaborative work of the authors on a comprehensive review of social context, cultural frameworks and related issues in the mental health and psychosocial well-being of resettled Syrian refugees. Findings A practical guide that emphasizes the importance of considering the social and cultural dimensions of their predicament and highlighting principles that can help clinicians address the unique needs of Syrian refugee patients. Originality/value The content of this paper is inspired by the collaborative work of the authors on a report commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR).
Syrian mental health professionals as refugees in Jordan
Intervention, 2013
While the con£ict in Syria rages on, one psychiatrist and several psychologists, all of them Syrian refugees, have founded 'Syria Bright Future' , a volunteer organisation that provides psychosocial and mental health services to Syrian refugees in Jordan. This ¢eld report describes how the organisation assists families in settling after their harsh journey, in adapting to new living conditions and circumstances, coping with di⁄culties they encounter and strengthening their resilience.'Syria Bright Future'does this by providing short term support and counselling, and by referring individuals and families to other international and Jordanian organisations, or to informal support networks of Syrian refugees for further assistance.
BJPsych international, 2016
The conflict in Syria has led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that extends across multiple countries in the area. Mental health services were undeveloped before and now face huge strain and unmet need. The World Health Organization and others have developed a programme to build capacity in the delivery of mental health services in an integrated healthcare package to refugees and displaced people. The tool used for this is the mhGAP Intervention Guide and complementary materials. In this paper we refer to training in Turkey, Iraq and Syria where health professionals were trained to roll out this community-based integrated approach through primary healthcare. We describe field case examples that show the complexity of situations that face refugees, displaced people and those caught in active conflict. Training improved the knowledge and skills for managing mental health disorders in primary healthcare. Further work needs to be done to demonstrate greater access to and utilisation of services, client outcomes and organisational change with this approach.
A Crisis of Needs: Coordinating Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Responses in Syria and Europe
New England Journal of Public Policy, 2021
This article offers recommendations for coordinating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs for Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons in the Middle East with those available to Syrian asylum seekers in Europe. It examines the Netherlands' progressive policies toward MHPSS programs in conflict crises that can provide examples of good practice in policy and advocacy. It calls on host governments to address their support for the enhanced provision of MHPSS not just in humanitarian responses overseas but also for refugee populations in their own countries. It seeks to identify challenges and obstacles in existing programming and proposes the creation of a coordination mechanism at the national level in countries bridging national and international programs, as well as the formation of a knowledge hub to address the urgent and crucial needs of global peace and humanitarian development work. Key topics for learning collaboration are identified to foster the intersection of MHPSS and peacebuilding work. Lira Low is an independent consultant specializing in mental health issues and their intersection with conflict resolution. She has worked for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and consults in psychotherapy, political risk, and mediation.
Qualitative Health Research
We applied semi-structured and in-depth interviews to explore the perceptions and experiences of 60 practitioners/policymakers and 25 Syrian participants involved in mental health services for refugees in Lebanon. Refugees were found to view their distress as a normal shared reaction to adversity while professionals perceived it as symptomatic of mental illness. Practitioners viewed Syrian culture as an obstacle to providing care and prioritized educating refugees about mental health conditions. Policymakers invoked the state of crisis to justify short-term interventions, while Syrian refugees requested community interventions and considered resettlement in a third country the only solution to their adverse living conditions. The therapeutic relationship seems threatened by mistrust, since refugees change their narratives as an adaptive mechanism in response to the humanitarian system, which professionals consider manipulative. We discuss the implications of our findings for mental ...