Prospective one-year treatment outcomes of tortured refugees: a psychiatric approach

The treatment of torture survivors from diverse cultures has been a difficult task involving issues of loss, massive trauma, cultural style, and adjust- ing to a new country. Research on treatment out- comes has shown inconsistent results. This report presents a prospective one year treatment out- come of 22 severely tortured patients from Ethio- pia, Somalia, Iran and Afghanistan. Treatment was provided by psychiatrists and counselors with in- terpreters from each culture involved. The specific treatment included psychiatric evaluation, medi- cine, education, supportive psychotherapy and assisting some social needs. All 22 were diagnosed with depression and 17 of these also had post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Twenty of 22 patients showed marked significant improvement on all of the scales for depression, PTSD, disabil- ity, and quality of life. Medicine was particularly useful in treating depression and the symptoms of flashbacks, nightmares and irritability. Standard psychiatric treatment with evaluation, diagnosis, appropriate medicine, supportive psychotherapy and counseling by ethnic counselors provided good outcomes.