Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40250878›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Australian immigration detention health study protocol: a prospective, mixed-methods cohort study examining the physical and mental health of refugees and asylum seekers.

Bafreen Sherif, Debbie C Hocking, Mohammad Asghari-Jafarabadi, Susan Rees, Suresh Sundram

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Bafreen SherifDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia bafreen.sherif@monash.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-7302-3813
Debbie C HockingDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0313-3637
Mohammad Asghari-JafarabadiDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3284-9749
Susan ReesDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2845-6547
Suresh SundramDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9674-0227

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGlobally, studies have consistently demonstrated the harmful mental and physical health impacts of immigration detention, with high levels of distress documented among detained asylum seekers and refugees (ASR). However, the consequences of immigration detention over time on the psychological and physical health of ASR are unclear and poorly quantified. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This prospective, mixed-methods cohort study will recurrently assess and describe the health profiles of adult ASR with an experience of Australian Government-sponsored immigration detention greater than 28 days. ASR ≥18 years old released from immigration detention will be assessed at 0, 3, 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter for up to 10 years, contingent on resourcing. Five self-report scales and a structured psychiatric interview will assess the primary outcome of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, pain intensity and severity, somatic symptoms, functional impairment, physical health conditions associated with detention and engagement in available treatment of this cohort. Additionally, pre-existing health records will be accessed to identify current and previous health status and assess changes in these health indices. Quantitative findings will be triangulated with a qualitative phenomenological thematic analysis of interviews to determine additional psychosocial factors associated with the outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the Monash Health Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/73614/MonH-2021-251322). Results will be reported at conferences, in peer-reviewed publications and to all relevant stakeholder groups.

Indexed as

Health StatusMental HealthRefugeesAdultAnxietyAustraliaDepressionFemaleHumansMaleProspective StudiesResearch DesignStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAdult psychiatryMENTAL HEALTHPUBLIC HEALTHResearch Design

Identifiers

PMID40250878
PMCPMC12007035

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.