U.S. report confirms negative impact of detention on mental health of asylum seekers
AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, today called on the Australian Government to provide greater access to mental health services for asylum seekers held in detention centres in Australia.
Dr Glasson said a U.S. report documented in this week's edition of The Lancet, confirms how prolonged detention has lasting negative mental health impacts on detainees.
The report, From Persecution to Prison: The Health Consequences of Detention for Asylum Seekers, was produced by the Bellevue/New York University School of Medicine Program for Survivors of Torture in New York City and Physicians for Human Rights in Boston.
Dr Glasson said detention is clearly harmful to the mental health of an individual, especially children.
"The impact on kids will last their whole lives," Dr Glasson said.
"As a community, we must learn from the documented research and urge our Government to apply compassionate policies regarding the physical and mental health of asylum seekers in Australian detention centres."
The U.S. Report contains these key findings based on a study of 70 asylum seekers in detention in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania:
- 77 per cent had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety
- 86 per cent had clinically significant symptoms of depression
- and 50 per cent had post-traumatic stress disorder.
The increase in the severity of the conditions was directly related to the length of detention.
When released from detention, the participants had marked reductions in all psychological symptoms.
Dr Glasson said the U.S. Report complements an Australian study, which was published in the Medical Journal of Australia in December 2001.
"The Australian Government must ensure that asylum seekers in detention, especially children, have access to the level of mental health services appropriate to address the traumatic conditions in which they find themselves," Dr Glasson said.
The Lancet report can be found at: http://www.lancet.com/journal
The MJA report can be found at: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/175_12_171201/steel/steel.html
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 30