Psychiatric disorders among recently-arrived Eastern Europeans seen through a US refugee counseling service

To describe the types and extent of psychiatric disorders found in a group of recently-arrived Eastern Europeans being treated by native-speaking mental health providers.

Forty seven Hungarians, Romanians, Czechoslovakians, Poles and Gypsies referred by voluntary or government agencies, other organizations or community members to a refugee counseling service in Seattle, Washington. Over 90% were refugees and 68% maintained this status at the intake evaluation.

Clinical, descriptive study of data collected retrospectively by chart review.

The majority of clients had poor or fair English skills and less than half were employed. Twelve (26%) had a prior mental health problem and five (11%) a psychiatric hospitalization. The most common diagnoses were adjustment reaction in 21 (45%), marital/family problems in five (11%), and paranoid schizophrenia in five (11%).

Psychiatric disorders were frequent in this clinical population of Eastern Europeans presenting for outpatient mental health care and may be associated with previous mental health problems. Our findings emphasize the need for sensitivity to the special risks of emigration.