Table 2.
Characteristics of included studies (n = 70).
| Study | Design | Setting | Timing of Assessment | Population | Mental Health Condition Assessed and Assessment Tool | Administration Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Obaidi (2015) [41] | Screening program | Refugee health care programs USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Burma, Haiti, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Cuba |
Mental health assessment was not widely practiced (6/16 refugee-serving organizations). Assessment conducted by asking a few basic questions, e.g., for adults, any history of sleep problems, loss of energy, loss of appetite, feeling depressed, torture; and asking about the story of the refugee’s journey; for children, any history of seizures, learning problems, and head injuries In Denver, screening includes a DSM-based, non-validated questionnaire designed to detect major depression and PTSD The Seattle and New Mexico programs offer the Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) [PTSD, Depression, Anxiety] |
In Denver, the mental health screening is conducted by a master’s level social worker Screening using the RHS-15 administered by health care providers. Clients themselves can complete the form if they have the appropriate level of education Interpreter not present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Arnetz (2014) [42] | Validation study | Community centees USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 18–69 years, M = 33.41, SD = 11.29 54% male Iraq |
Pre-immigration trauma exposure: Trauma section of Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) PTSD: Civilian version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL-C) Depression: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) |
Administered by trained Arabic-speaking research personnel Interpreter present Self-assessment survey 120 min |
| Baird (2020) [43] | Screening program | Nurse-managed urban primary care safety-net clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 32.8 years, SD = 13.6, Range = 17–72; 46% male. Country of origin not reported |
Emotional distress including anxiety, depression, and PTSD: Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) | Administered by trained Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) family nurse practitioners Interpreter present Likert Scale, oral interview 60 min |
| Barbieri (2019) [44] | Validation study | Outpatient clinic and reception centre Italy |
Post-arrival | Refugees and asylum seekers Age 18 and older (M = 25.1 years, SD = 6.7); 86% male Participants were from 19 African countries, mainly West Africa |
PTSD: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) CPTSD: International Trauma Questionnaire (ICD-11) |
Administered by cultural mediator, a medical doctor, and a clinical psychologist Interpreter present Oral interview 60–90 min |
| Barnes (2001) [40] | Screening program | Local health department not affiliated with a hospital, combined with home visits USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 18–74 46.4% male Vietnam, Cuba, Bosnia, and African countries |
Depression: DSM-IV criteria psychiatric interview | Administered by psychiatric residents with multi-national immigrant backgrounds (Africa and India) Interpretation provided by a paid interpreter (Vietnamese), administrative assistant (Bosnian), or nurse (Spanish). Family members also acted as interpreters (e.g., Farsi) Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Bertelsen (2018) [45] | Screening program | Primary care torture treatment centre USA |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Mean age of 36.6 years (SD10.2) 66.2% male Majority from Sub-Saharan Africa (Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Democratic Republic of Congo being the most represented). Minority from Asia (with the Nepal and Tibet accounting for the majority of these) |
PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) Major depressive disorder: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) |
Administered by mental health professionals Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Bjarta (2018) [46] | Validation study | Asylum accommodations and health and service centres Sweden |
Post-arrival | Refugees and asylum seekers aged 18 years and older; 72% male Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Eritrea, and Somalia |
PTSD, depression, anxiety: Refugee Health Screener (RHS-13) Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Generalized anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) PTSD: Primary Care PTSD-4 (PC-PTSD-4) Quality of life: World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) |
Self-assessment facilitated by bilingual administration staff Interpreter (bilingual staff) present Tablet. Audio support was available in Arabic, Dari, Farsi, and Tigrinya for individuals with low reading proficiency Assessment time not reported |
| Boyle (2019) [47] | Screening program | Refugee antenatal clinic Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugees of childbearing age (below 35 years old) 100% female Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iraq, the Republic of South Sudan, and Sri Lanka. |
Depression and anxiety: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Perinatal mental health: Monash Psychosocial Screening Tool |
Self-assessment. Clinic staff available for assistance Interpreter present if needed Electronic via tablet 6–10 min |
| Brink (2016) [48] | Validation study | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Karen Refugees Aged 18–80 (M = 38.09, SD 13.82) 30% male Burma |
PTSD and MDD: PTSD and MDD portions of the structured clinical interview for DSM disorders (SCID-CV for DSM-IV) | A physician with mental health training and a Karen interpreter administered the measures Oral interview and Likert-scale questionnaire Assessment time not reported |
| Buchwald (1995) [49] | Screening program | Ten refugee public health clinics USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Aged 16–85 yo (average age 31) 95% male Vietnam |
Depression: Vietnamese Depression Scale | Administered by trained community health nurse Interpreter present Self-assessment 5 min |
| Churbaji (2020) [50] | Validation study | University hospital Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 33.5 yo 75% male Syria, Iraq, Palestine |
Depression and PTSD: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire, 9 (PHQ-9) PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) |
Not reported |
| Cook (2015) [51] | Screening program | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Arabic-speaking Karen refugees Aged 18 yo and over (mean age: 35 (SD 14.6) 51% male |
Four semi-structured items which asked retrospectively about lifetime experiences of primary and secondary war trauma and torture | Administered by trained research assistants (social work trainees) Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Di Pietro (2021) [52] | Validation study | Second-line reception centre Italy |
Post-arrival | Unaccompanied migrant minors Age 12–18 yo 100% male Bangladesh, Egypt, Gambia, Senegal, Benin, Tunisia, Guinea Bissau, Morocco |
Overall psychological needs: Unaccompanied Migrant Minors Questionnaire (AEGIS-Q) | Interpreter not present Self-administered with cultural mediator 20 min |
| Durieux-Paillard (2006) [53] | Validation study | Migrant health centre (University Hospital) Switzerland |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Age 16 years or older |
MDD and PTSD: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) | Nurses without mental health training Interpreter present Oral interview 45 min |
| El Ghaziri (2019) [54] | Screening program | Centre for primary care and public health Switzerland |
Post-arrival | Refugee families Members over age 8 yo 40–60% female Syria |
Risk behaviours: ASSIST Support: Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) Parent-child relationship: Family Peer Relationship Questionnaire, Arabic version (A-FPRQ) Adults: major depressive disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Children: major depressive disorder, panic disorder, separation anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Kids (MINI Kid) |
Research assistant Interpreter present (research assistant) Administration mode not reported Assessment time not reported |
| Eytan (2007) [55] | Validation study | Primary care clinic Switzerland | In transition | Refugees Mean age 30 yo 75% male 33 countries, mostly Africa and Central or Eastern Europe |
Major depressive episodes and PTSD: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) | Administered by trained nurse Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Eytan (2002) [56] | Screening program | IME assessment Switzerland | In transition | Refugees, median age 24 yo 72% male Kosovo |
MDD and PTSD: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) | Administered by trained nurse Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Geltman (2005) [57] | Screening program | Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program (URMP) sites USA |
Post-arrival | Refugee minors, mean age 17.6 yo 84% male Sudan |
PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) | Administered by staff Interpreter not present Oral interview and self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Green (2021) [58] | Screening program | Primary care “office” USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees, age 4–18 yo 56% male Bhutan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo/Burundi, Iraq, Somalia |
PTSD, depression, trauma: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) | Administered by interpreters Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Hanes (2017) [59] | Screening program | Hospital refugee health service Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 2–16 yo mean age 9.4 yo 49% male Top 7 countries: Burma, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia Congo, Somalia, Iran |
Adverse childhood experiences: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) | Interpreter present Self-administered Assessment time not reported |
| Hauff (1995) [60] | Screening program | n/a Norway |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age over 15 yo 79% male Vietnam |
Psychiatric disorders: Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Present State Examination (PSE) | Researcher Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Heenan (2019) [61] | Screening program | Specialist immigrant health service within a children’s hospital Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugee children Age 7 months to 16 years old 64.8% male Syria, Iraq |
Mental health (including PTSD) and development screening was conducted, but no assessment tool is described | Refugee health program nurses Primary care health assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Hirani (2018) [62] | Screening program | Tertiary refugee health service Australia |
Post-arrival | Adolescent refugees Age 12–17 years old (mean age 14; 49% male) 15 countries (Middle East, Africa, Asia) |
Psychosocial assessment: Home, Education/Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/mental health’ (HEADSS) Questionnaire | Interviewer Interpreter present Oral interview 25–60 min |
| Hobbs (2002) [63] | Screening program | Public health hospital New Zealand |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Age 0–60+ years old 68.1% male Middle Eastern countries |
Symptoms, or history of symptoms, of psychological illness: Auckland Public Health Protection Asylum Seekers Screening | Clinic staff Health screening Assessment time not reported |
| Hocking (2018) [64] | Validation study | Asylum seeker welfare centre Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugees 19–82 yo, median age 33 69.8% male Mostly from countries in Africa and Asia |
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Mental Health Screening Tool for Asylum seekers and Refugees (STAR-MH) | Administered by trained non-mental health workers Interpreter present Oral interview 6 min |
| Hollifield (2013) [65] | Validation study | Public health centre USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age over 14 yo 50% male Bhutan, Burma, and Iraq |
Anxiety, depression, PTSD: Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) | Administered by physicians or public health clinic staff Interpreter present Oral interview 4–12 min |
| Hollifield (2016) [66] | Validation study | Public health centre USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age over 14 yo 50% male Bhutan, Burma, and Iraq |
Anxiety and depression: Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 (HSCL-25) PTSD: Posttraumatic Symptom Scale- Self Report (PSS-SR) Anxiety, depression, PTSD: Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) |
Administered by trained public health nurses Interpreter not present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Hough (2019) [39] | Screening program | Refugee clinic Lebanon |
Pre-departure | Refugees 18 years and above 50% male Syria |
General mental health: Global Mental Health Assessment Tool (GMHAT) | Administered by healthcare professionals (psychiatrist, general physician, pediatrician, and two nurses) Administrators served as translators Computerized tool 15–20 min |
| International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2020) [4] |
Screening program | IOM migration health assessment clinics Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan |
Pre-departure | Refugees: majority younger than 30 (67.1%), with the highest number in the under-10 age group 51.2% male |
Not described | Not described |
| Jakobsen (2017) [67] | Validation study | Setting not reported Norway |
Post-arrival | Unaccompanied adolescent asylum seekers Age 15–18 years old (mean: 16.2) 100% male Afghanistan, Somalia |
PTSD, anxiety, and depression: combined Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ- IV) | Interpreter present Self-administered via laptop computer Assessment duration not reported |
| Javanbakht (2019) [68] | Screening program | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 18–65 yo 52.9% male Syria |
PTSD: PTSD Checklist Civilian version (PCL-C) Anxiety and depression: Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 items (HSCL-25) |
Research assistant Interpreter present (research assistant) Self-assessment 20 min (5–10 min per tool) |
| Johnson-Agbakwu (2014) [69] | Screening program | Refugee women’s health clinic with a behavioural health partnership USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 18 years and older 100% female Iraq, Burma, Somalia |
Anxiety, depression, PTSD: Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) | Cultural health navigator (served as interpreter) Oral interview 5–10 min |
| Kaltenbach (2017) [70] | Validation study | Refugee accommodation Germany |
In transition | Refugees Age over 12 yo, median age 28.79 yo Majority from Syria, minority from Afghanistan, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Iraq, Macedonia, Somalia, Georgia |
PTSD, depression, anxiety: Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) Semi-structured interview: PTSD: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 (PCL-5) Depression: Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15)—only the first 13 questions Trauma exposure: Life Events Checklist (LEC-5) Psychological distress: semi-structured interview via Brief Symptom Inventory -18 |
RHS Self-administered Interpreter present if needed 10–30 min Semi-structured interview by a clinical psychologist Interpreter present Oral interview 90 min |
| Kennedy (1999) [71] | Screening program | Primary care clinic (University Hospital) USA |
Post-arrival | Adult refugees and their children | Depression, anxiety, and PTSD: A set of questions about history of imprisonment, trauma, or torture + a 25-item, self-administered symptom checklist that surveys for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The checklist was developed by Dawn Noggle, PhD, of the International Rescue Committee in Arizona. In addition, parents are asked standard questions about their children’s adjustment and symptoms of stress or depression |
Administered by nurse or physician Interpreter present Self-assessment symptom checklist Assessment time not reported |
| Kleijn (2001) [72] | Validation study | Psychiatric clinic Netherlands |
Post-arrival | Refugees 81% male Arabic, Farsi, or Serbo-Croatian speaking regions |
PTSD: The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) Depression and Anxiety: Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25(HSCL-25) |
Administered by psychologist or psychiatrist Interpreter present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Kleinert (2019) [73] | Screening program | Primary care centre within a reception centre Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugee and asylum seekers median age of all patients was 26 years, SD 18.529 51% of asylum-seeker patients and 49% of resettlement-refugee patients were female Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Georgia, Iran |
Mental and behavioural disorders classified by ICD 10: Digital Communication Assistance Tool (DCAT) | General practitioners and nurses Digital Communication Assistance Tool (DCAT) via tablet No interpreter present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Kroger (2016) [74] | Screening Program | Reception centre Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugees and asylum seekers Average age 30.5 88.2% male Balkan States, Middle East, Northern Africa, rest of Africa |
PTSD: Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale-8 (PDS-8) Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) |
Administered by psychological psychotherapist, medical assistant, or psychology undergraduate students Interpreter present Oral interview 15–90 min |
| LeMaster (2018) [75] | Screening program | Local resettlement agencies USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 33.4 Iraq |
PTSD: civilian version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL-C) and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) Depression: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale |
Administered by a trained Arabic-speaking interviewer Interpreter present Oral interview 120 min |
| Lillee (2015) [76] | Screening program | Humanitarian entrant health service Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugees Age 18–70 48.7% male Africa, South-Eastern and South-Western Asia |
Non-specific psychological distress: The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) PTSD: PTSD treatment screener |
Administered by physicians Interpreter present Oral interview or self-assessment 10–15 min |
| Loutan (1999) [77] | Screening program | University Hospital Switzerland |
Post-arrival | Refugees Median age 27 67% male Yugoslavia, Somalia, Angola, Sri-Lanka |
Physical and psychological symptoms and previous exposure to traumatic events: No name; short questionnaire developed and tested at the Policlinic | Administered by trained nurses (who were multilingual) Interpreter not present Oral interview 15 min |
| Masmas (2008) [78] | Screening program | Reception centre Denmark |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers, average age 32 years (16–73 years) 71% male Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Chechnya |
PTSD: International Classification of Disease Codes (ICD-10) Overall psychological health: WHO’s General Health Questionnaire |
Administered by trained health care professionals Translator available if needed Oral interview 60 min |
| McLeod (2005) [79] | Screening program | Refugee resettlement centre medical clinic New Zealand |
Post-arrival | Refugees: majority 20–34 years old 53.2% male, 34 different nationalities, majority Iraqi, Somali, Ethiopian |
Psychosocial assessment—screening tool not reported | Administered by trained health care professionals Administration details not reported |
| Mewes 2018 [80] | Validation study | Asylum accommodation or at meeting points for asylum seekers Germany |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Aged 18 years and older (M = 31.9 years SD 7.8), 67% male Most participants came from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, or African countries |
PTSD and depression: Process of Recognition and Orientation of Torture Victims in European Countries to Facilitate Care and Treatment (PROTECT) Questionnaire PTSD: Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) |
Self-assessment The software ‘MultiCasi’ was used via a laptop with touchscreen Interpreter present Assessment time not reported |
| Morina (2017) [81] | Screening program | Clinical setting outpatient clinic Switzerland |
Post-arrival | Refugees Aged 28–64 (mean 50.07, SD 8.65) 77% male Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Turkey, Sudan |
PTSD: Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale based on DSM-5 (PDS) Depression: Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) Quality of Life: EUROHIS-QoL Questionnaire |
Interview with therapist Interpreter present Oral interview Assessed in 24 min or Computer assisted self-interviews using multi-adaptive psychological screening software (MAPSS) Tablet Assessed in 9 min |
| Nehring (2021) [82] | Validation study | Reception camp Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugee children Age 4–14 years (mean: 8.9 years (SD: 2.8)) tijana59.0% male Syria |
PTSD: Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) | Child and adolescent psychiatrists Interpreter and native speaking doctors were present Oral interview with parents and children The duration of all examinations lasted 1–2 days for one family |
| Nikendei (2019) [83] | Screening program | Outpatient clinic Germany |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Age over 18 yo Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe |
PTSD: Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) General anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) Panic symptoms: PHQ-PD Social well-being: World Health Organization- Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) Alcohol and drug addiction: three screening questions derived from the screening questions from the SCID (Structured Clinical Interview) |
Research assistant Interpreter available Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Ovitt (2003) [84] | Screening program | Resettlement office or at participants’ homes USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 29–72 yo 50% male Bosnia |
Anxiety and depression: The Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) and a client questionnaire | Psychiatrist or medical doctor Interpreter not present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Polcher (2016) [85] | Screening program | Community health centre USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 18 yo or older tijana41% male Bhutan, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, Sudan, Burma, Iran, and Eritrea |
Anxiety, depression and PTSD: Refugee Health Screener–15 (RHS-15) | Administered by trained interpreters and medical assistants Interpreter present Oral interview 10–15 min |
| Poole (2020) [86] | Validation study | Refugee camp Greece |
In transition | Refugees Mean age 30 years, range 18–61. 59% male Syria |
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ-2 and PHQ-8) | Administered by research personnel Arabic-English interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Rasmussen (2015) [87] | Validation study | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Mean age 34.9 yo 59% male West Africa, Himalayan Asia, and Central Africa |
PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) | Administered by trained interpreters Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Richter (2015) [88] | Screening program | Central reception facilities Germany |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers Mean age 31.9 years old, SD 10.6 66.8% male Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, and Iraq |
General psychiatric assessment: Structured diagnostic interview MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) Essen Trauma Inventory (ETI) Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS) WHO-5 Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) |
Administered by a physician Interpreter present Oral interview 3 h (two 1.5 h sessions) |
| Salari (2017) [89] | Validation study | Primary care clinic Sweden |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 9–18 97.6% male Majority from Afghanistan. Others from Iran, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and Lebanon |
PTSD: Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8) | Clinicians and nurses Interpreter present if needed Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Savin (2005) [90] | Screening program | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 18 years old and over (mean age 27.4) 51.5% male 24 countries of origin: most frequently Bosnia, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Burma, Vietnam, Iran, and Iraq |
PTSD, anxiety, depression: 25-item psychiatric symptom checklist derived from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) |
Administered by a team composed of a case manager from a publicly funded resettlement agency, a primary care nurse experienced with culturally diverse populations, a primary care physician, and if needed, a psychologist or psychiatrist. Nurses primarily administered the screening tool Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Schweitzer (2011) [91] | Screening program | Settlement service Australia |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 34.13 yo (range 18–80 yo) 43.9% male Burma |
Pre-migration trauma: HTQ Depression, anxiety, somatization: Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37 (HSCL-37) Post-migration stressors: Post-migration Living Difficulties Checklist |
Researchers and counsellors Interpreter present Oral interview 2–3 h |
| Seagle (2019) [92] | Screening program | Outpatient clinics USA |
Post-arrival | Administrative sample, 64% refugees Age 14 years and older 42.6% male Cuba, Burma, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Ethiopia, Syria |
Not reported; however, the authors state that clinicians may consider the use of the Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15), Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Vietnamese Depression Scale (VDS), New Mexico Refugee Symptom Checklist 121 (NMRSCL-121), and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 (HSCL-25) Georgia public health officials recommend use of the RHS-15 |
Administered by clinicians Interpreter present Self-assessment and oral interview Time of assessment was variable |
| Shannon (2015) [93] | Screening program | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 35.27 51.4% male Burma |
PTSD, distress, somatic complaints, depression: unspecified 32-item questionnaire | Administered by trained research staff Interpreter present Self-assessment 45 min |
| Sondergaard (2001) [94] | Screening program | Reception centre Sweden |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 18–48, mean age 35 yo 63% male Iraq |
PTSD: Questionnaire developed uniquely for this study, based on the Holmes-Rahe Life Event Questionnaire | Assessor background not reported Interpreter not present Self-assessment Assessment duration not reported |
| Sondergaard (2003) [95] | Validation study | Reception centre Sweden |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 18–48, mean age 35 yo 63% male Iraq |
Mental health screen using Health Leaflet: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Impact of Event Scale (IES-22), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) PTSD: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) or Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS) Depression: Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) |
Administered by case manager Interpreter not present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Stingl (2019) [96] | Screening program | Reception centre (RC) & communal accommodation (CU) Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 25.6 (RC), 28.9 (CU) 92.9% (RC), 69.8% (CU) male Afghanistan, Algeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Syria |
Depression, anxiety, and PTSD: Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) | Administered by doctorate students and a linguist Interpreter present Written Likert-scale 4–12 min |
| Sukale (2017) [97] | Screening program | Clearing and pre-clearing institution Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugee minors Age 16.24 years, SD 1.03 100% male Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq |
Providing Online Resource and Trauma Assessment (PORTA) screening tool, which comprises of disorder-specific questionnaires: Trauma: CATS Depression and Anxiety: Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) + Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Behavioural problems: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Self harm and suicidality: SITBI |
Self-administered Interpreter present if needed Online questionnaire via computer (PORTA) 30–90 min |
| Tay (2013) [98] | Screening program | Reception centre Australia |
In transition | Asylum seekers Mean age 39 65% male 18 countries- majority from Iran, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and China |
PTSD and depression: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) Depression: Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) |
Assessment by psychologists Interpreter present Oral interview 120 min |
| Thulesius (1999) [99] | Validation study | Asylum centre (refugees) and Healthcare clinic (Swedish comparison group) Netherlands |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 33.7 58% male Bosnia-Herzegovina |
PTSD and depression: Modified Posttraumatic Symptom Scale (PTSS-10-70) | Assessor background not reported Interpreter not present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| van Os (2018) [100] | Screening program | National intermediary organizations Netherlands |
Post-arrival | Refugees and asylum seekers—16 unaccompanied children (15–18 years) and 11 accompanied children (4–16 years) 63% male 44% from Afghanistan |
Well-being and child development: Best Interests of the Child (BIC-Q), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Stressful life events: Stressful Life Events (SLE) PTSD: Reactions of Adolescents on Traumatic Stress (RATS) |
Assessment by trained professionals Interpreter present Self-assessment and oral interview 180–240 min |
| Van Dijk (1999) [101] | Validation study | Psychiatric hospital Netherlands |
Post-arrival | Refugees Mean age 35.7 years, range 17–70 67% male Diverse nationalities (country not specified) |
PTSD: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hopkins Symptom Check List-90 (HSCL-90), DSM-IV |
Administered by psychiatrists and psychological assistants Interpreter present Oral interview Assessment time not reported |
| Vergara (2003) [102] | Screening program | Refugee health program USA |
Post-arrival | 26,374 refugees, or 38.1% of all refugees, resettling in the United States during fiscal year 1997 No additional characteristics reported |
3/9 sites offered mental status examinations during the domestic refugee health assessment. Specific mental health conditions and assessment tools not reported | Not reported |
| Weine (1998) [103] | Screening program | Primary care clinic USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Ages 13–59 yo 50% male Bosnia |
PTSD: PTSD Symptoms Scale, the Communal Traumatic Experiences Inventory, the Global Assessment of Functioning (DSM-IV), and the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90-R) |
Administered by mental health professionals Interpreter present Oral interview 60–120 min |
| Willey (2020) [104] | Screening program | Refugee antenatal clinic Australia |
Post-arrival | Women from a refugee background or considered refugee-like, i.e., arrived in Australia on a spousal visa from a refugee-source country such as Afghanistan | Depression and anxiety: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Perinatal mental health: Monash Psychosocial Screening Tool |
Administered by maternal care staff (midwives, bi-cultural workers) Interpreter present Electronic tablet 10 min |
| Wulfes (2019) [105] | Validation study | Refugee accommodations Germany |
Post-arrival | Refugee and asylum seekers Ages 17–90 yo, average age 32.9 64.4% male Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan |
1. Posttraumatic stress screening: PQ 2. Traumatic events: a list of events that was modified from those included in the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) 3. Posttraumatic stress symptoms: PDS-8 4. Depression: Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) 5. Axis I disorders: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) |
Administered by staff without medical or psychological health training I nterpreter not present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |
| Yalim (2021) [106] | Screening program | Refugee resettlement agency/home visit USA |
Post-arrival | Refugees Aged 18 years and older (mean age 36.38 years, SD 12.5) Majority from Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Syria, and Eritrea |
PTSD, depression, anxiety: Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) | Administered by research personnel Interpreter present Oral interview or self-assessment, depending on the literacy level of the participant 20–30 min |
| Young (2016) [107] | Screening program | Detention centres Australia |
Post-arrival | Asylum seekers and refugees (detainees) All ages 73% male |
Depression, anxiety, and PTSD: Self-rated Kessler 10 (K-10) The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) The Clinician-rated Health of the Nation Outcome Scores (HoNOS) The Clinician-rated Health of the Nation Child and Adolescent Outcome Scores (HoNOSCA) |
Administered by mental health professionals (nurse or psychologist) Interpreter present Self-assessment Assessment time not reported |