title: Pilot assessment and survey of Syrian refugees' psychological stress and openness to referral for telepsychiatry (PASSPORT Study).
abstract: 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.
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: 1 Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Hussam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jefee-Bahloul
authors.forename: Moustafa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Moustafa
authors.forename: Fatma M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Shebl
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barkil-Oteo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013593:Syria / Q000208:ethnology; D017216:Telemedicine
keywords: Syria; refugee mental health; telepsychiatry