By Kate Kelland
"LONDON, March 2016 (Reuters) - Refugees fleeing war, violence and persecution have a much higher risk of developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia than people who migrate for economic or social reasons, according to research published on Tuesday.
Researchers writing in the BMJ British medical journal said their findings suggest government healthcare officials in countries taking in refugees should plan to be able to help higher numbers of mental health patients.
Humanitarian crises in Europe, the Middle East, north Africa, and central Asia mean there are currently more displaced people, asylum seekers and refugees worldwide than at any time since Word War Two.
Refugees have a raised risk of mental conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - which brings flashbacks and panic attacks and can render patients emotionally volatile - but until now little has been known about the risk of psychosis."
Source: Study finds high psychosis risk among Europe's refugee migrants
Refugees and migrants cross a river near the Greek-Macedonian border to return to Greece, after an unsuccessful attempt to enter Macedonia, west of the village of Idomeni, Greece, March 15, 2016.
REUTERS/ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS
"LONDON, March 2016 (Reuters) - Refugees fleeing war, violence and persecution have a much higher risk of developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia than people who migrate for economic or social reasons, according to research published on Tuesday.
Researchers writing in the BMJ British medical journal said their findings suggest government healthcare officials in countries taking in refugees should plan to be able to help higher numbers of mental health patients.
Humanitarian crises in Europe, the Middle East, north Africa, and central Asia mean there are currently more displaced people, asylum seekers and refugees worldwide than at any time since Word War Two.
Refugees have a raised risk of mental conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - which brings flashbacks and panic attacks and can render patients emotionally volatile - but until now little has been known about the risk of psychosis."
Source: Study finds high psychosis risk among Europe's refugee migrants
Refugees and migrants cross a river near the Greek-Macedonian border to return to Greece, after an unsuccessful attempt to enter Macedonia, west of the village of Idomeni, Greece, March 15, 2016.
REUTERS/ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS