Mental Health Among Persons Awaiting an Asylum Outcome in Western Countries

Asylum seekers are among the most marginalized and powerless groups in Western societies. Unlike persons with refugee status, asylum seekers live with the constant fear of deportation. They are generally denied access to work, private accommodation, education, and regular social welfare benefits. These harsh postmigration living conditions place asylum seekers at risk for poor mental health. This article reviews the empirical literature on asylum seeker mental health from the last 20 years. It focuses on nondetained adults awaiting an asylum outcome in Western countries. Twenty-three studies reported data for 7,294 asylum seekers. Overall, reports of psychological distress levels and prevalence rates of mental disorder were very high. This risk for poor mental health can be reduced by appropriate changes to the asylum procedure and social policy.