The impact of racism and discrimination on mental health of refugees and asylum seekers

Abstract

With the strong focus on terrorism in recent years, there is an increasing concern that the fundamental rights of refugees and asylum seekers may be violated in the interest to combat acts of terrorism. It may also lead to increasing racism and discrimination towards these populations.

Racism and discrimination encompass the negative stereotypes and prejudicial beliefs that people may hold, as well as inequitable practices that may result hereof.

Knowledge about the mental health consequences of racism and discrimination is of clear clinical relevance for psychiatrists worldwide, as a significant proportion of psychiatric patients will have a background as refugees and asylum seekers. Many of them have experiences of war, strife, persecution and torture that further ads to their mental distress.

The paper will outline the psychiatric symptomatology related to racism as well as ethical dilemmas and educational needs for the psychiatric profession.

Further the role of national psychiatric associations in combating racism and discrimination by e.g. defining best practices and revising medical training curricula will be outlined.

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Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.