Journal Article > Case Report/SeriesFull Text
Torture. 2018 July 26; Volume 28 (Issue 2); 72-84.; DOI:10.7146/torture.v28i2.106825
Womersley G, Kloetzer L, Van der Bergh R, Venables E, Severy N, et al.
Torture. 2018 July 26; Volume 28 (Issue 2); 72-84.; DOI:10.7146/torture.v28i2.106825
INTRODUCTION
The dual trauma of being a victim of torture as well as a refugee is related to a myriad of losses, human rights violations and other dimensions of suffering linked to torture experienced pre-migration, as well as different forms of violence experienced during and after migration.
METHOD
To present three case studies to explore culturally-informed perspectives on trauma among victims of torture and track trajectories of psychosocial rehabilitation in relation to environmental factors. The case studies are part of a larger qualitative study of asylum seekers and refugees in a center for victims of torture in Athens, managed by Médecins Sans Frontières and Babel in collaboration with Greek Council for Refugees, which follows beneficiaries, their care providers and community representatives and leaders.
RESULTS
Key themes emerging include the substantial psychological impact of current material realities of migrant victims of torture as they adapt to their new environment and engage in rehabilitation. Delayed asylum trials, poor living conditions and unemployment have a substantial impact on posttraumatic symptoms that in turn influence psychosocial rehabilitation. Personal, social, and cultural resources emerged as having a mediating effect.
DISCUSSION
The results highlight the significant impact of the political, legal, and sociocultural environment on psychosocial rehabilitation. Practical implications for interventions are to ensure holistic, interdisciplinary, and culturally sensitive care which includes a focus on environmental factors affecting resilience; and with a dynamic focus on the totality of the individual over isolated pathologies.
The dual trauma of being a victim of torture as well as a refugee is related to a myriad of losses, human rights violations and other dimensions of suffering linked to torture experienced pre-migration, as well as different forms of violence experienced during and after migration.
METHOD
To present three case studies to explore culturally-informed perspectives on trauma among victims of torture and track trajectories of psychosocial rehabilitation in relation to environmental factors. The case studies are part of a larger qualitative study of asylum seekers and refugees in a center for victims of torture in Athens, managed by Médecins Sans Frontières and Babel in collaboration with Greek Council for Refugees, which follows beneficiaries, their care providers and community representatives and leaders.
RESULTS
Key themes emerging include the substantial psychological impact of current material realities of migrant victims of torture as they adapt to their new environment and engage in rehabilitation. Delayed asylum trials, poor living conditions and unemployment have a substantial impact on posttraumatic symptoms that in turn influence psychosocial rehabilitation. Personal, social, and cultural resources emerged as having a mediating effect.
DISCUSSION
The results highlight the significant impact of the political, legal, and sociocultural environment on psychosocial rehabilitation. Practical implications for interventions are to ensure holistic, interdisciplinary, and culturally sensitive care which includes a focus on environmental factors affecting resilience; and with a dynamic focus on the totality of the individual over isolated pathologies.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017 July 28; Volume 32 (Issue 6); 684-687.; DOI:10.1017/S1049023X17006781
Alexakis LC, Papachristou A, Baruzzi C, Konstantinou A
Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017 July 28; Volume 32 (Issue 6); 684-687.; DOI:10.1017/S1049023X17006781
INTRODUCTION
During a refugees' mass-gathering incident in Kos Island, Greece, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; Brussels, Belgium) teams provided emergency medical care. A case report of the event focusing on difficulties encountered by the interpreters during triage and emergency response was prepared.
METHODS
Data collected during the event were reviewed from the patient's register and qualitative interviews were obtained from the MSF interpreters involved in the response. In addition, a description of the event and a literature review were included.
RESULTS
Total consultations were 49 patients, mainly from Syria, with an average age of 25 years. During triage, 20 patients were tagged green with only minor injuries; 11 patients were tagged yellow, mostly due to heat exhaustion, but also a hypertensive crisis, a diabetic, a pregnant woman with abdominal pain, and a peptic ulcer exacerbation. The remaining 18 patients were tagged red and diagnosed with heat syncope, except from a case of epileptic seizures and an acute chest pain patient. Interpreters were insufficient in number to accompany each doctor and every nurse providing care during the event. In addition, they were constantly disturbed by both refugees and fellow medical team members demanding their service. Interpreters had to triage and prioritize where to go and for whom to interpret.
CONCLUSION
Interpreters are an integral part of a proper refugee reception system. They should be included in authorities planning where mass gatherings of refugees are expected. Appropriate training may be needed for interpreters to develop skills useful in mass gatherings and similar prehospital settings in order to better coordinate with the medical team.
During a refugees' mass-gathering incident in Kos Island, Greece, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; Brussels, Belgium) teams provided emergency medical care. A case report of the event focusing on difficulties encountered by the interpreters during triage and emergency response was prepared.
METHODS
Data collected during the event were reviewed from the patient's register and qualitative interviews were obtained from the MSF interpreters involved in the response. In addition, a description of the event and a literature review were included.
RESULTS
Total consultations were 49 patients, mainly from Syria, with an average age of 25 years. During triage, 20 patients were tagged green with only minor injuries; 11 patients were tagged yellow, mostly due to heat exhaustion, but also a hypertensive crisis, a diabetic, a pregnant woman with abdominal pain, and a peptic ulcer exacerbation. The remaining 18 patients were tagged red and diagnosed with heat syncope, except from a case of epileptic seizures and an acute chest pain patient. Interpreters were insufficient in number to accompany each doctor and every nurse providing care during the event. In addition, they were constantly disturbed by both refugees and fellow medical team members demanding their service. Interpreters had to triage and prioritize where to go and for whom to interpret.
CONCLUSION
Interpreters are an integral part of a proper refugee reception system. They should be included in authorities planning where mass gatherings of refugees are expected. Appropriate training may be needed for interpreters to develop skills useful in mass gatherings and similar prehospital settings in order to better coordinate with the medical team.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Confl Health. 2018 September 5; Volume 12; 38.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-018-0172-y
Eleftherakos C, van den Boogaard W, Barry D, Severy N, Kotsioni I, et al.
Confl Health. 2018 September 5; Volume 12; 38.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-018-0172-y
BACKGROUND
In 2015 and early 2016, close to 1 million migrants transited through Greece, on their way to Western Europe. In early 2016, the closure of the “Balkan-route” and the EU/Turkey-deal led to a drastic reduction in the flow of migrants arriving to the Greek islands. The islands became open detention centers, where people would spend months or years under the constant fear of being returned to Turkey.
Syrians were generally granted refugee status in Greece and those arrived before the 20th of March 2016 had the option of being relocated to other European countries. Afghans had some chances of being granted asylum in Greece, whilst most migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo were refused asylum.
In a clinic run by Médecins sans Frontières on Lesbos Island, psychologists observed a deterioration of the migrant’s mental health (MH) since March 2016. In order to understand the MH needs for this stranded population it was essential to explore how, and by what factors, their mental health (MH) has been affected on Lesbos Island due to the EU/Turkey-deal.
METHODS
This was a qualitative study in which eight service providers’ interviews and 12 focus group discussions with male and female Syrian, Afghan and Congolese migrants in two refugee camps on Lesbos Island. Thematic-content analysis was manually applied and triangulation of findings was undertaken to enhance the interpretation of data.
RESULTS
Three main themes were generated: 1) Institutional abuse, 2) Continuous traumatic stress (CTS) and 3) MH service provision. Institutional abuse was expressed by inhumane living conditions, lack of information in order to make future decisions, humiliation and depersonalization. This led to CTS that was expressed through being in a state of permanent emergency under lack of protective measures. Delays in appointments, lack of psychiatric care and differences in MH perceptions amongst migrants highlighted the provision of MH services.
CONCLUSION
The EU/Turkey-deal reduced migrant flows at a very high price. Decongestion of the camps and the elimination of institutional abuse is urgently needed to reduce CTS and improve migrants’ MH.
In 2015 and early 2016, close to 1 million migrants transited through Greece, on their way to Western Europe. In early 2016, the closure of the “Balkan-route” and the EU/Turkey-deal led to a drastic reduction in the flow of migrants arriving to the Greek islands. The islands became open detention centers, where people would spend months or years under the constant fear of being returned to Turkey.
Syrians were generally granted refugee status in Greece and those arrived before the 20th of March 2016 had the option of being relocated to other European countries. Afghans had some chances of being granted asylum in Greece, whilst most migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo were refused asylum.
In a clinic run by Médecins sans Frontières on Lesbos Island, psychologists observed a deterioration of the migrant’s mental health (MH) since March 2016. In order to understand the MH needs for this stranded population it was essential to explore how, and by what factors, their mental health (MH) has been affected on Lesbos Island due to the EU/Turkey-deal.
METHODS
This was a qualitative study in which eight service providers’ interviews and 12 focus group discussions with male and female Syrian, Afghan and Congolese migrants in two refugee camps on Lesbos Island. Thematic-content analysis was manually applied and triangulation of findings was undertaken to enhance the interpretation of data.
RESULTS
Three main themes were generated: 1) Institutional abuse, 2) Continuous traumatic stress (CTS) and 3) MH service provision. Institutional abuse was expressed by inhumane living conditions, lack of information in order to make future decisions, humiliation and depersonalization. This led to CTS that was expressed through being in a state of permanent emergency under lack of protective measures. Delays in appointments, lack of psychiatric care and differences in MH perceptions amongst migrants highlighted the provision of MH services.
CONCLUSION
The EU/Turkey-deal reduced migrant flows at a very high price. Decongestion of the camps and the elimination of institutional abuse is urgently needed to reduce CTS and improve migrants’ MH.
Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
BJPsych International. 2022 March 4; 1-2.; DOI:10.1192/bji.2022.3
Solera-Deuchar L
BJPsych International. 2022 March 4; 1-2.; DOI:10.1192/bji.2022.3
A psychiatry trainee reflects on a period of work on the Greek island of Samos with the international medical non-governmental organisation Medécins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders, providing mental health and psychosocial support to asylum seekers. The clinic provided services to asylum seekers who were living in a crowded refugee camp, many of whom were experiencing symptoms of severe mental illness. The author reflects on the nature and severity of these presentations, and questions the role of psychiatry in treating mental illness that is clearly exacerbated by circumstances resulting from European asylum policies.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Soc. Sci. Med. 2019 October 18
Bjertrup PJ, Bouhenia M, Mayaud P, Perrin C, Ben Farhat J, et al.
Soc. Sci. Med. 2019 October 18
In 2015, an estimated 856,723 refugees, predominantly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq arrived in Greece as an entry point into the European Union. The border of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia closed in March 2016, blocking a popular route for refugees through Europe, and left around 60,000 people stranded in Greece.
OBJECTIVE:
A mixed-method study was conducted among refugees in the regions of Attica, Epirus, and Samos between November 2016 and February 2017. The epidemiological survey showed that depending on study sites between 73% and 100% of the refugees suffered from anxiety disorder. The explanatory qualitative study aimed to understand refugees' mental health and narratives of social suffering in regards to experienced violence, the effect of current border closures, and the lack of an onward journey.
METHOD:
The explanatory qualitative study included 47 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions with refugees purposely recruited through the concomitant epidemiological survey, representing both genders and a range of nationalities and ages. Data were thematically analysed to identify emergent patterns and categories using NVivo 11.
RESULTS:
The refugees overwhelmingly reported experiencing uncertainty and lack of control over their current life and future, which caused psychosocial distress and suffering. The passivity of life in refugee camps aggravated feelings of meaninglessness and powerlessness. The disruption of key social networks and absence of interactions with the surrounding Greek society led to feelings of isolation and being unwelcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
Refugees in Greece experience psychosocial distress and social suffering as a consequence of their uncertain and disrupted lives and the loss of social networks. Faster and transparent asylum procedures, the development of meaningful and empowering activities, and fostered social interactions with the surrounding society would contribute to alleviating their psychosocial suffering.
OBJECTIVE:
A mixed-method study was conducted among refugees in the regions of Attica, Epirus, and Samos between November 2016 and February 2017. The epidemiological survey showed that depending on study sites between 73% and 100% of the refugees suffered from anxiety disorder. The explanatory qualitative study aimed to understand refugees' mental health and narratives of social suffering in regards to experienced violence, the effect of current border closures, and the lack of an onward journey.
METHOD:
The explanatory qualitative study included 47 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions with refugees purposely recruited through the concomitant epidemiological survey, representing both genders and a range of nationalities and ages. Data were thematically analysed to identify emergent patterns and categories using NVivo 11.
RESULTS:
The refugees overwhelmingly reported experiencing uncertainty and lack of control over their current life and future, which caused psychosocial distress and suffering. The passivity of life in refugee camps aggravated feelings of meaninglessness and powerlessness. The disruption of key social networks and absence of interactions with the surrounding Greek society led to feelings of isolation and being unwelcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
Refugees in Greece experience psychosocial distress and social suffering as a consequence of their uncertain and disrupted lives and the loss of social networks. Faster and transparent asylum procedures, the development of meaningful and empowering activities, and fostered social interactions with the surrounding society would contribute to alleviating their psychosocial suffering.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
BMC Med. 2018 March 13; Volume 16 (Issue 1); 40.; DOI:10.1186/s12916-018-1028-4
Ben Farhat J, Blanchet K, Juul Bjertrup P, Veizis A, Perrin C, et al.
BMC Med. 2018 March 13; Volume 16 (Issue 1); 40.; DOI:10.1186/s12916-018-1028-4
BACKGROUND
Since 2015, Europe has been facing an unprecedented arrival of refugees and migrants: more than one million people entered via land and sea routes. During their travels, refugees and migrants often face harsh conditions, forced detention, and violence in transit countries. However, there is a lack of epidemiological quantitative evidence on their experiences and the mental health problems they face during their displacement. We aimed to document the types of violence experienced by migrants and refugees during their journey and while settled in Greece, and to measure the prevalence of anxiety disorders and access to legal information and procedures.
METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional population-based quantitative survey combined with an explanatory qualitative study in eight sites (representing the range of settlements) in Greece during winter 2016/17. The survey consisted of a structured questionnaire on experience of violence and an interviewer-administered anxiety disorder screening tool (Refugee Health Screener). RESULTS: In total, 1293 refugees were included, of whom 728 were Syrians (41.3% females) of median age 18 years (interquartile range 7-30). Depending on the site, between 31% and 77.5% reported having experienced at least one violent event in Syria, 24.8-57.5% during the journey to Greece, and 5-8% in their Greek settlement. Over 75% (up to 92%) of respondents ≥15 years screened positive for anxiety disorder, which warranted referral for mental health evaluation, which was only accepted by 69-82% of participants. Access to legal information and assistance about asylum procedures were considered poor to non-existent for the majority, and the uncertainty of their status exacerbated their anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS
This survey, conducted during a mass refugee crisis in a European Community country, provides important data on experiences in different refugee settings and reports the high levels of violence experienced by Syrian refugees during their journeys, the high prevalence of anxiety disorders, and the shortcomings of the international protective response.
Since 2015, Europe has been facing an unprecedented arrival of refugees and migrants: more than one million people entered via land and sea routes. During their travels, refugees and migrants often face harsh conditions, forced detention, and violence in transit countries. However, there is a lack of epidemiological quantitative evidence on their experiences and the mental health problems they face during their displacement. We aimed to document the types of violence experienced by migrants and refugees during their journey and while settled in Greece, and to measure the prevalence of anxiety disorders and access to legal information and procedures.
METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional population-based quantitative survey combined with an explanatory qualitative study in eight sites (representing the range of settlements) in Greece during winter 2016/17. The survey consisted of a structured questionnaire on experience of violence and an interviewer-administered anxiety disorder screening tool (Refugee Health Screener). RESULTS: In total, 1293 refugees were included, of whom 728 were Syrians (41.3% females) of median age 18 years (interquartile range 7-30). Depending on the site, between 31% and 77.5% reported having experienced at least one violent event in Syria, 24.8-57.5% during the journey to Greece, and 5-8% in their Greek settlement. Over 75% (up to 92%) of respondents ≥15 years screened positive for anxiety disorder, which warranted referral for mental health evaluation, which was only accepted by 69-82% of participants. Access to legal information and assistance about asylum procedures were considered poor to non-existent for the majority, and the uncertainty of their status exacerbated their anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS
This survey, conducted during a mass refugee crisis in a European Community country, provides important data on experiences in different refugee settings and reports the high levels of violence experienced by Syrian refugees during their journeys, the high prevalence of anxiety disorders, and the shortcomings of the international protective response.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Confl Health. 2017 January 13; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-017-0103-3
Crepet A, Rita F, Reid AJ, van den Boogaard W, Deiana P, et al.
Confl Health. 2017 January 13; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-017-0103-3
In 2015, Italy was the second most common point of entry for asylum seekers into Europe after Greece. The vast majority embarked from war-torn Libya; 80,000 people claimed asylum that year. Their medical conditions were assessed on arrival but their mental health needs were not addressed in any way, despite the likelihood of serious trauma before and during migration. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Health, provided mental health (MH) assessment and care for recently-landed asylum seekers in Sicily. This study documents mental health conditions, potentially traumatic events and post-migratory living difficulties experienced by asylum seekers in the MSF programme in 2014-15.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Public Health Action. 2024 March 1; Volume 14 (Issue 1); 14-19.; DOI:10.5588/pha.23.0022
Tsorou C, Williams A, van den Boogaard W, Staderini N, Repetto E, et al.
Public Health Action. 2024 March 1; Volume 14 (Issue 1); 14-19.; DOI:10.5588/pha.23.0022
SETTING
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can impact individuals of any demographic. The most common pathogens causing STIs are Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhea and Trichomonas vaginalis; these can be treated with specific antibiotics.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the GeneXpert CT/NG test-and-treat algorithm to the syndromic approach algorithm and their impact on antibiotic prescription for gonorrhoea and chlamydia STIs.
DESIGN
A retrospective observational study on women aged ≥18 years who accessed the Médecins Sans Frontières Day Care Centre in Athens with complaints related to urogenital infections between January 2021 and March 2022. Women with abnormal vaginal discharge, excluding clinically diagnosed candidiasis, were eligible for Xpert CT/NG testing.
RESULTS
Of the 450 women who accessed care, 84 were eligible for Xpert CT/NG testing, and only one was positive for chlamydia, therefore resulting in saving 81 doses of ceftriaxone and azithromycin, and 19 doses of metronidazole. The cost of Xpert CT/NG testing, including treatment was €4,606.37, while full antibiotic treatment would have costed €536.76.
CONCLUSION
The overall cost of the Xpert CT/NG test-and-treat algorithm was higher than the syndromic approach. However, quality of care should be weighed against the potential benefits of testing and syndromic treatment to determine the best option for each patient; we therefore advocate for decreasing the costs.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can impact individuals of any demographic. The most common pathogens causing STIs are Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhea and Trichomonas vaginalis; these can be treated with specific antibiotics.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the GeneXpert CT/NG test-and-treat algorithm to the syndromic approach algorithm and their impact on antibiotic prescription for gonorrhoea and chlamydia STIs.
DESIGN
A retrospective observational study on women aged ≥18 years who accessed the Médecins Sans Frontières Day Care Centre in Athens with complaints related to urogenital infections between January 2021 and March 2022. Women with abnormal vaginal discharge, excluding clinically diagnosed candidiasis, were eligible for Xpert CT/NG testing.
RESULTS
Of the 450 women who accessed care, 84 were eligible for Xpert CT/NG testing, and only one was positive for chlamydia, therefore resulting in saving 81 doses of ceftriaxone and azithromycin, and 19 doses of metronidazole. The cost of Xpert CT/NG testing, including treatment was €4,606.37, while full antibiotic treatment would have costed €536.76.
CONCLUSION
The overall cost of the Xpert CT/NG test-and-treat algorithm was higher than the syndromic approach. However, quality of care should be weighed against the potential benefits of testing and syndromic treatment to determine the best option for each patient; we therefore advocate for decreasing the costs.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Glob Public Health. 2022 June 1; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1-10.
Pasquero L, Staderini N, Duroch F
Glob Public Health. 2022 June 1; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1-10.
BACKGROUND
This article shares the learnings of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)’s experience of adapting its sexual violence care training for its staff and missions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2019. It explores some of the implications of MENA operational and sociocultural specificities for MSF’s training approach, as well as theoretical and practical aspects of working in sexual violence response in specific settings and addressing contextual structural barriers to survivors’ accessing such services. It contributes to sharing knowledge among practitioners about adapting a sexual violence training approach for different contexts.
METHODS
Methods employed included a scoping review of literature; qualitative data collection via consultations with MENA organisations and interviews with MSF experts and staff working in Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Greece; collaborative content adaptation and issue integration; translation in Arabic and proofreading; testing of training modules in different settings; and feedback integration.
RESULTS
The adaptation work shows the importance of context and suggests that culturally and contextually adapted training bears potential for effectively strengthening staff members’ survivor-centered skills and attitudes, as well as technical knowledge and skills in care provision. The revision process shows that the overall approach of the training is constitutive to its effectiveness since the approach to – in addition to the substance of – most core principles and elements bears the potential to make training more acceptable and effective in encouraging staff reflectivity on local existing social and gender norms and their own beliefs and attitudes.
CONCLUSIONS
The article concludes that capacity-building efforts alone must not be overestimated in their ability to mobilize change in complex settings but highlights their potential to catalyze change if embedded in institutional longstanding efforts involving operational strategies, political advocacy and organizational culture. The process represents a first step which needs to be further tested, evaluated and continuously fed by MSF practice-based knowledge and dialogue with other organizations around response and training approaches and practices
This article shares the learnings of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)’s experience of adapting its sexual violence care training for its staff and missions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2019. It explores some of the implications of MENA operational and sociocultural specificities for MSF’s training approach, as well as theoretical and practical aspects of working in sexual violence response in specific settings and addressing contextual structural barriers to survivors’ accessing such services. It contributes to sharing knowledge among practitioners about adapting a sexual violence training approach for different contexts.
METHODS
Methods employed included a scoping review of literature; qualitative data collection via consultations with MENA organisations and interviews with MSF experts and staff working in Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Greece; collaborative content adaptation and issue integration; translation in Arabic and proofreading; testing of training modules in different settings; and feedback integration.
RESULTS
The adaptation work shows the importance of context and suggests that culturally and contextually adapted training bears potential for effectively strengthening staff members’ survivor-centered skills and attitudes, as well as technical knowledge and skills in care provision. The revision process shows that the overall approach of the training is constitutive to its effectiveness since the approach to – in addition to the substance of – most core principles and elements bears the potential to make training more acceptable and effective in encouraging staff reflectivity on local existing social and gender norms and their own beliefs and attitudes.
CONCLUSIONS
The article concludes that capacity-building efforts alone must not be overestimated in their ability to mobilize change in complex settings but highlights their potential to catalyze change if embedded in institutional longstanding efforts involving operational strategies, political advocacy and organizational culture. The process represents a first step which needs to be further tested, evaluated and continuously fed by MSF practice-based knowledge and dialogue with other organizations around response and training approaches and practices
Journal Article > Case Report/SeriesFull Text
Oxf Med Case Reports. 2021 May 24; Volume 2021 (Issue 5); DOI:10.1093/omcr/omab020
Makris G, Papageorgiou N, Panagopoulos D, Brubakk KG
Oxf Med Case Reports. 2021 May 24; Volume 2021 (Issue 5); DOI:10.1093/omcr/omab020
An unresponsive paediatric patient may present a diagnostic challenge for health professionals, as rapid identification of the cause is needed to provide proper interventions. The following report details a challenging diagnosis of unresponsiveness in a refugee child. In the migratory context, observed unresponsiveness states are frequently attributed to psychologic factors, and overlapping psychiatric classifications (resignation syndrome, functional coma and catatonia) are common. Our patient fell into an unresponsive state for 6 months after witnessing a traumatic event. Diagnostic workup for multiple medical comorbidities led to surgical intervention for tethered cord syndrome. Shortly after that, the patient’s responsiveness improved, putting to question her condition’s underlying cause. This case highlights the need for a biopsychosocial approach in such cases, reflected in thorough clinical examination and diagnostic investigations. A multidisciplinary perspective and expertise proved crucial and may help in the rehabilitation of children in similar situations.