Somali and Oromo refugees: correlates of torture and trauma history
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Published on: November 30, 2015
James M Jaranson1, James Butcher, Linda Halcon
1HealthPartners Division of Behavioral Health and the Department of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55454, USA.
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.
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