What has been the impact of western governments’ laws and policies on the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees? A systematic-narrative hybrid literature review

TL;DR

Western governments' laws and policies have largely harmed the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees through restrictive measures.

Contribution

This study highlights the negative mental health impacts of deterrence policies and calls for more research on positive interventions.

Findings

Restrictive policies like detention and limited rights access worsen mental health outcomes.

Uncertainty, isolation, and dehumanization are central to mental health harm.

Healthcare access and community support improve mental health for asylum seekers and refugees.

Abstract

•Western laws and policies negatively affect asylum seekers' and refugees' mental health.•Research focuses on deterrence policies, neglecting positive mental health measures.•Uncertainty, isolation, and dehumanization are key elements behind mental health harm.•Access to healthcare and community support has positive impact on mental health.•Policymakers must weigh long-term mental health costs of deterrence measures .

Western laws and policies negatively affect asylum seekers' and refugees' mental health.

Research focuses on deterrence policies, neglecting positive mental health measures.

Uncertainty, isolation, and dehumanization are key elements behind mental health harm.

Access to healthcare and community support has positive impact on mental health.

Policymakers must weigh long-term mental health costs of deterrence measures .

This article reviews research on the causal impact of Western governments’ laws and policies on the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees. The systematic-narrative hybrid literature review yielded 34 studies using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches, focusing almost exclusively on restrictive and deterrence-oriented measures. The synthesis shows that, over the last two decades, Western governments’ laws and policies around detention, access to basic rights, asylum procedure, and reception have had a substantial and almost exclusively negative impact on the mental health of protection seekers. Based on our findings, we urge legislators and policymakers to consider the long-term consequences and costs of the laws and policies they introduce, within and beyond the realm of mental health. In addition, we highlight the need for more research on governmental measures that are likely to have a positive impact on the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees.

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