Pilot Assessment and Survey of Syrian Refugees' Psychological Stress and Openness to Referral for Telepsychiatry (PASSPORT Study)

BACKGROUND: Given the scarcity of mental health resources available for refugees in areas of conflict, it is imperative to investigate interventions that would be accepted by the refugees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we surveyed 354 Syrian refugees using the HADStress screening tool and asked about their openness to referral to psychiatry and telepsychiatry. RESULTS: Of the surveyed sample, 41.8% had scores on HADStress that correlate to posttraumatic stress disorder. However, only 34% of the whole sample reported a perceived need to see a psychiatrist, and of those only 45% were open to telepsychiatry. CONCLUSIONS: Women, those who were bilingual, and those with positive HADStress status were less likely to accept telepsychiatry; however, this finding did not reach statistical significance. This study reports a partial acceptance of Syrian refugees for telepsychiatric services despite the high prevalence of psychological stress.