title: Asylum seekers in Denmark--a study of health status and grade of traumatization of newly arrived asylum seekers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An unknown number of asylum seekers arriving in Denmark have been exposed to torture or have experienced other traumatising events in their country of origin. The health of traumatised asylum seekers, both physically and mentally, is affected upon arrival to Denmark, and time in asylum centres leads to further deterioration in health.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-two (N=142) newly arrived asylum seekers were examined at Center Sandholm by Amnesty International Danish Medical Group from the 1st of September until the 31st of December 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The asylum seekers came from 33 different countries, primarily representing Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Chechnya. Of the asylum seekers, 45 percent had been exposed to torture--approximately one-third within the year of arrival to Denmark. Unsystematic blows, personal threats or threats to family, degrading treatment, isolation, and witnessing torture of others were the main torture methods reported. The majority of the asylum seekers had witnessed armed conflict, persecution, and imprisonment. The study showed that physical symptoms were approximately twice as frequent and psychological symptoms were approximately two to three times as frequent among torture survivors as among non-tortured asylum seekers. However, even the health of non-tortured asylum seekers was affected. Among the torture survivors, 63 percent fulfilled the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, and 30-40 percent of the torture survivors were depressed, in anguish, anxious, and tearful in comparison to 5-10 percent of the non-tortured asylum seekers. Further, 42 percent of torture survivors had torture-related scars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Torture survivors amid newly arrived asylum seekers are an extremely vulnerable group, hence examination and inquiry about the torture history is extremely important in order to identify this population to initiate the necessary medical treatment and social assistance. Amnesty International Danish Medical group is currently planning a follow-up study of the present population which will focus on changes in health status during their time in Denmark.
authors.affiliation: Medical Group, Amnesty International, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tania Nicole
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Masmas
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: Caecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buhmannr
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bunch
authors.forename: Jean Hald
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Trine Nørregård
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Louise Møller
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Maiken
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mannstaedt
authors.forename: Annemette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oxholm
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skau
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Theilade
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Worm
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekstrøm
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D003718:Denmark; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014104:Torture / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification*