title: Mental health screening in immigration detention: A fresh look at Australian government data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The poor mental health of asylum seekers and refugees in immigration detention has consistently been reported in peer-reviewed literature internationally; however, data on the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees detained in Australian immigration has been very limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  We re-analysed mental health screening data obtained by the Human Rights Commission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longer time in detention was associated with higher self-reported depression scores, with female individuals being more vulnerable to time in detention than those of male gender. Approximately one-half of the refugee group who agreed to complete the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire had post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. On clinician-rated measures, one-third of the children, adolescents and adults suffered with clinical symptoms requiring tertiary outpatient assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper consolidates the findings of the 2014 Australian Human Rights Commission report and it provides an argument for public reporting of refugee data.
authors.affiliation: Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Michael.Gordon@southernhealth.org.au.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006076:Government; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: Australian Human Rights Commission; Harvard Trauma Questionnaire; detention; immigration; mental health; mental health screening; post-traumatic stress disorder; refugees; stress; time