The unmet need for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care for refugees – A local pilot survey in Lübeck

Psychiatr Prax. 2026 Apr;53(3):123-132. doi: 10.1055/a-2812-6785. Epub 2026 Apr 22.

ABSTRACT

Refugees experience a higher burden of mental illness after arrival in the host country. Nevertheless, data on suicidality and actual mental health care utilization remain limited. In an exploratory pilot study conducted in shared accommodation facilities in Lübeck, established screening questionnaires for depression, anxiety disorders, PTBS, and somatoform disorder were used to assess the prevalence of at least one mental disorder, which was 78%. Overall, 10.8% reported at least one suicide attempt after arriving in Germany. In contrast to the general population, where the likelihood of psychiatric/psychotherapeutic treatment increases with the number of comorbid disorders, participants in our study showed an opposite pattern. These findings suggest that mental health care for refugees may not be sufficiently directed toward actual needs and that existing support systems fail to reliably reach those most severely affected.

PMID:42019511 | DOI:10.1055/a-2812-6785