Somali and Oromo refugees: correlates of torture and trauma history Journal Article uri icon
Overview
abstract

  • OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional, community-based, epidemiological study characterized Somali and Ethiopian (Oromo) refugees in Minnesota to determine torture prevalence and associated problems. METHODS: A comprehensive questionnaire was developed, then administered by trained ethnic interviewers to a nonprobability sample of 1134. Measures assessed torture techniques; traumatic events; and social, physical, and psychological problems, including posttraumatic stress symptoms. RESULTS: Torture prevalence ranged from 25% to 69% by ethnicity and gender, higher than usually reported. Unexpectedly, women were tortured as often as men. Torture survivors had more health problems, including posttraumatic stress. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need to recognize torture in African refugees, especially women, identify indicators of posttraumatic stress in torture survivors, and provide additional resources to care for tortured refugees.

    • Link to Article
    authors
    publication date
  • 2004
    • published in
    Research
    keywords
  • *Health Status
  • *Refugees/psychology/statistics & numerical data
  • *Survivors/psychology/statistics & numerical data
  • *Torture/psychology/statistics & numerical data
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethiopia/ethnology
  • Life Change Events
  • Linear Models
  • Logistic Models
  • Mass Screening
  • Minnesota/epidemiology
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Needs Assessment
  • Population Surveillance
  • Prevalence
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Social Problems
  • Somalia/ethnology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis/*ethnology/etiology/therapy
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
    • Additional Document Info
    volume
  • 94
    • issue
  • 4