Health status and degree of traumatisation among newly arrived asylum seeker--secondary publication
Masmas, T.Nicole.; Møller, E.; Buhmann, C.; Bunch, V.; Jensen, J.Hald.; Hansen, T.Nørregård.; Jørgensen, L.Møller.; Kjaer, C.; Mannstaedt, M.; Oxholm, A.; Skau, J.; Theilade, L.Arlø.; Worm, L.; Ekstrøm, M.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 172(2): 120-124
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 20376916 Document Number: 647579
An unknown number of asylum seekers arriving in Denmark have been exposed to torture. Amnesty International's Danish Medical Group examined 142 asylum seekers, of whom 45% had been exposed to torture. Physical and psychological symptoms were 2-3 times as frequent among torture survivors as among non-tortured asylum seekers. Among the torture survivors, 63% fulfilled the criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder, 58% had objective psychological findings, and 42% had torture-related scars. Identification of torture survivors is important in order to initiate the necessary medical treatment.