[Reactions to torture and persecution. Traumatized refugees in the Danish health service]

The Danish health services encounter a growing number of refugees who suffer from the effects of persecution and torture. To be a traumatised refugee in a foreign culture often causes psychological reactions and biological changes, and, at the same time, adaptation to a new culture is a demanding existential challenge. The condition is rather poorly described by the diagnoses "post-traumatic stress disorder" and "enduring personality change after catastrophic experience". These conditions can cause difficulties both diagnostically and treatment-wise, as the trauma story can awaken violent reactions in the doctor, and because the symptoms can be so culturally framed they are difficult to interpret. The prognosis depends on a number of issues pertaining to the patient, the trauma, and the patient's overall state after the trauma. At best, the prognosis is relatively good, but in a number of cases the patient's state becomes chronic and disabling. At present, the recommended treatment is a combination of psychotherapy, psychopharmacological treatment, physiotherapy, and social initiatives. There is still uncertainty as to the optimal treatment, and the organisational situation regarding treatment in Denmark is unclear.