title: Mental health of newly arrived Burmese refugees in Australia: contributions of pre-migration and post-migration experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study documents the mental health status of people from Burmese refugee backgrounds recently arrived in Australia, then examines the contributions of gender, pre-migration and post-migration factors in predicting mental health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured interviews, including a demographic questionnaire, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, the Post-migration Living Difficulties Checklist and Hopkins Symptom Checklist assessed pre-migration trauma, post-migration living difficulties, depression, anxiety, somatization and traumatization symptoms in a sample of 70 adults across five Burmese ethnic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substantial proportions of participants reported psychological distress in symptomatic ranges including: post-traumatic stress disorder (9%), anxiety (20%) and depression (36%), as well as significant symptoms of somatization (37%). Participants reported multiple and severe pre-migration traumas. Post-migration living difficulties of greatest concern included communication problems and worry about family not in Australia. Gender did not predict mental health. Level of exposure to traumatic events and post-migration living difficulties each made unique and relatively equal contributions to traumatization symptoms. Post-migration living difficulties made unique contributions to depression, anxiety and somatization symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While exposure to traumatic events impacted on participants' mental well-being, post-migration living difficulties had greater salience in predicting mental health outcomes of people from Burmese refugee backgrounds. Reported rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were consistent with a large review of adults across seven western countries. High levels of somatization point to a nuanced expression of distress. Findings have implications for service provision in terms of implementing appropriate interventions to effectively meet the needs of this newly arrived group in Australia.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia 4059.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brough
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vromans
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asic-Kobe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D002052:Myanmar / Q000208:ethnology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology