Prevalence of Mental Disorders within Newly Arriving Refugees in California

Approximately 271,727 refugees resettled in the United States during fiscal years (FY) 2000-2006, with California receiving the largest, most ethnically diverse number of refugee arrivals (16%) geographically dispersed throughout the third largest state in the nation. The California Refugee Health Program funds local health jurisdictions to provide comprehensive health assessments to refugees, collecting data via the Refugee Health Electronic Information System (RHEIS). RHEIS data since 2000 indicates that a majority of refugees arrive with significant infectious and chronic health conditions which increase the risk for mental disorders. Conversely, mental disorders bring about unhealthy behavior, non-compliance with medications, diminished immune functioning, and poor prognosis. In 2000, the World Health Organization estimated that mental disorders accounted for 12% of the global burden of diseases, projected to increase to 20% by 2020. In response to the emerging public health focus on mental disorders, RHEIS data was analyzed to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders among newly arriving refugees into California. During FY's 2000-2006, the physical and mental health of 43,185 newly arriving refugees was assessed with 18% reporting one or more symptoms of mental/emotional distress (a measurement of mental disorder). Most common reported symptoms were “Trouble Sleeping” and “Feeling Sad or Hopelessness” (predictors of depressed mood) and “Feeling Nervous or Irritable” symptoms (predictor of anxiety disorders). A higher amount of women reported the latter symptoms and individuals born in Iran reported “Trouble sleeping” more than other individuals. Results provide an overview of the prevalence of mental disorders within newly arriving refugees in California.