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Incidence of psychiatric disorders among accompanied and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Denmark: a nation-wide register-based cohort study

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Abstract

One in four asylum applicants in Europe are children, and 23% of whom are unaccompanied and may be at increased risk of mental illness. This study contributes to the limited evidence base by comparing the incidence of psychiatric disorders among unaccompanied and accompanied refugee children. We linked a cohort of refugee children who obtained right of residency in Denmark between 01 January 1993 and 31 December 2010 to the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, and calculated incidence rates per 100,000 person years and incidence rate ratios of overall psychiatric disorder, psychotic disorders, affective disorders, and neurotic disorders for accompanied and unaccompanied minors using Poisson regression. We adjusted the analyses for sex, age at residency, and age at arrival (aIRR). Stratified analyses were conducted by nationality. Unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.14–1.68) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.32–2.13) than accompanied minors. Among children from Afghanistan, unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.26–3.93) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.50, 95% CI 1.72–7.11). Among children from Iraq, unaccompanied minors had higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.02, 95% CI 1.18–3.45), affective disorders (aIRR: 6.04, 95% CI 2.17–16.8), and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.04, 95% CI 1.62–5.70). Unaccompanied children were found to experience a higher incidence of any psychiatric disorder and neurotic disorders. Strategies are needed to address the specific mental health and social needs of unaccompanied minors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity, and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Marie Norredam, Runa Schmidt Nielsen & Stine Byberg

  2. Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, PO Box 2099, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Marie Norredam, Runa Schmidt Nielsen & Stine Byberg

  3. Section of Immigrant Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegårds Alle, Hvidovre, 2820, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Marie Norredam

  4. Section of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Imperial College London, 8th Floor Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK

    Laura Nellums

  5. Section for Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Jørgen Holm Petersen

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  1. Marie Norredam
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  2. Laura Nellums
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  3. Runa Schmidt Nielsen
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  4. Stine Byberg
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  5. Jørgen Holm Petersen
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Correspondence to Marie Norredam.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the focused issue ‘Mental health issues in refugees’.

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Norredam, M., Nellums, L., Nielsen, R.S. et al. Incidence of psychiatric disorders among accompanied and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Denmark: a nation-wide register-based cohort study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 27, 439–446 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1122-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1122-3

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