A Mental Health Profile of 900 Newly Arrived Refugees in Denmark Using ICD-10 Diagnoses

Abstract

(1) Background: Recognizing mental health problems in newly arrived refugees poses a challenge. Little is known of the mental health profile of refugees currently arriving in Northern Europe. (2) Method: In total, we included 900 adult (≥18 years old) refugees arriving in Aarhus, Denmark, between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2020. All participants accepted an offer of a voluntary systematic health assessment from the municipality in Aarhus, including a mental health screening. (3) Results: Within this cohort, 26% (237/900) of the participants were referred to the Department of Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, 24% (212/900) were in contact with the department and 21% (185/900) received ≥1 psychiatric diagnosis. Within the subpopulation referred (n = 237), 64% (152/237) were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (DF431), 14% (34/237) with neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (F40–F48) and 13% (30/237) with major mood disorders (F30–F39). Among the participants referred to the Department of Psychiatry and participants receiving a diagnosis, we found an overrepresentation of participants originating from the Southern Asian region (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) and with an age above 44 years. (4) Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of both referrals and psychiatric diagnoses in newly arrived refugees. Attention to psychiatric conditions in refugees and systematic health assessments during resettlement are needed.