# Mental Health and Resilience in Eritrean and Somali Refugees in Switzerland: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study examines mental health and resilience among Eritrean and Somali refugees in Switzerland, finding high resilience but notable issues with somatic symptoms and alcohol use.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the long-term mental health needs of refugees beyond initial adaptation phases.

## Key findings

- High resilience scores were observed in 70% of participants.
- Symptoms of somatic disorders and harmful alcohol use were more prevalent than PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

## Abstract

In this study, we determined the frequency of clinically relevant mental health conditions among Eritrean and Somali refugees in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland and assessed their levels of resilience.

A cross-sectional study among refugees aged ≥16 years involved validated questionnaires, screening for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), somatic disorders, anxiety, depression, and assessments of alcohol use and resilience.

The 102 participants were young (median age 34 years), Eritrean (N = 88; 86%), males (N = 62), with long periods of staying in Switzerland (median 8.6 years). Almost three-quarters (N = 69/99; 70%) had high resilience scores (median 86). We found low frequencies of moderate or severe symptoms of PTSD (7%), anxiety (0%) and depression (1%). However, symptoms for somatic disorders (18%) and harmful levels of alcohol use (12%) were more common.

While the overall levels of resilience are impressively high, a large proportion of participants exhibited symptoms of somatic disorders and harmful levels of alcohol use - well beyond the early adaptation phase. This highlights the need for long-term mental healthcare beyond the time of arrival to ensure their wellbeing.