Risk factors for common mental disorders in young refugees from Iran, Somalia and Syria to Sweden

Background: Our primary aim was to determine sociodemographic and health-related risk factors for diagnosed common mental disorders (CMDs) among young refugees in Sweden. Methods: All young adult refugees from Iran, Somalia and Syria (n = 7192), who were residents in Sweden in 2009, were followed from 2010 to 2013 regarding diagnosed CMDs. Cox regression models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) of CMDs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Those arriving as unaccompanied refugee minors had a lower risk of being diagnosed with CMDs (HR: 0.7; 95%CI: 0.6-0.9) than those arriving as accompanied refugee minors. A higher risk of being diagnosed with CMDs was also found in female refugees (HR: 1.3; 95%CI: 1.1-1.5) compared with male refugees. In addition, individuals with a low (HR: 1.7; 95%CI: 1.3-2.3) or a medium (HR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.1-1.8) educational level were found to have a higher risk of being diagnosed with CMDs compared with individuals with a high educational level. Refugees from Iran (HR: 2.3; 95%CI: 1.8-2.9) had a higher risk of a diagnosis of a CMD than refugees from Somalia. Moreover, refugees with a diagnosis of a mental disorder other than a CMD (HR: 4.2; 95%CI: 2.8-6.1), digestive (HR: 1.5; 95%CI: 1.0-2.2) or musculoskeletal diseases (HR: 1.5; 95%CI: 1.0-2.2) had a higher risk of being diagnosed with subsequent CMDs, compared with those with no such disorders. Conclusions: Pre-existing diagnoses of mental disorders other than CMDs, and digestive and musculoskeletal disorders should be carefully considered in clinical assessments to initiate early interventions to prevent CMDs.

Automated summary

Among young refugees in Sweden, unaccompanied minors had a lower risk of diagnosed common mental disorders compared to accompanied minors. Female refugees, individuals with a low or medium educational level, refugees from Iran, and those with pre-existing mental or physical disorders had a higher risk of being diagnosed with CMDs.