A Central Clearing Clinic to Provide Mental Health Services for Refugees in Germany

Objective: To determine migration related distress pattern in refugees and feasibility of a de novo established, central low-threshold outpatient clinic serving more than 80,000 newly arrived refugees in the metropole of Berlin. Methods: In an observational cohort study the relative prevalence of major psychiatric disorders by age, place of living within berlin, language and region of origin were assessed in a refugee cohort from 63 nationalities speaking 36 languages. Findings: Within 18 months, a total of 3,096 cases with a mean age of 29.7 years (11.7) have been referred from all 12 districts and 165 of 182 subdistricts of Berlin to the CCC. 33.7% of the patients were female. The three most frequent diagnoses were unipolar depression (40.4%), posttraumatic stress disorder (24.3%), and adjustment disorder (19.6%). Conclusion: The present data gives insight into the distribution of mental disorders in a large sample of refugees and provides evidence that a CCC is an effective service to quickly and broadly provide psychiatric consultations and thus to overcome classical barriers refugees usually experience in the host communities. In Berlin, Germany, and Europe treatment resources for this population should focus on stress and trauma related disorders.

Automated summary

The study investigated the distress patterns in refugees in Berlin and the feasibility of a newly established outpatient clinic. It found that a significant number of refugees from different backgrounds suffered from mental disorders, with depression, PTSD, and adjustment disorder being the most common diagnoses. The findings suggest that a central, low-threshold clinic can effectively provide psychiatric consultations to refugees, helping them overcome barriers in host communities.