Dataset Information

School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Research for effective psychological interventions for refugee and asylum-seeking children has intensified. The need for interventions in environments more easily accessed by children and families is especially relevant for newly arrived populations. This paper reviews the literature on school and community-based interventions aimed at reducing psychological disorders in refugee and asylum-seeking children.

Methods and findings

Comprehensive searches were conducted in seven databases and further information was obtained through searching reference lists, grey literature, and contacting experts in the field. Studies were included if they reported on the efficacy of a school or community-based mental health intervention for refugee or asylum-seeking children. Two independent reviewers made the final study selection, extracted data, and reached consensus on study quality. Results were summarized descriptively. The marked heterogeneity of studies excluded conducting a meta-analysis but study effect-sizes were calculated where possible. Twenty one studies met inclusion criteria for the review reporting on interventions for approximately 1800 refugee children. Fourteen studies were carried out in high-income countries in either a school (n?=?11) or community (n?=?3) setting and seven studies were carried out in refugee camps. Interventions were either primarily focused on the verbal processing of past experiences (n?=?9), or on an array of creative art techniques (n?=?7) and others used a combination of these interventions (n?=?5). While both intervention types reported significant changes in symptomatology, effect sizes ranged from 0.31 to 0.93 and could mainly be calculated for interventions focusing on the verbal processing of past experiences.

Conclusions

Only a small number of studies fulfilled inclusion criteria and the majority of these were in the school setting. The findings suggest that interventions delivered within the school setting can be successful in helping children overcome difficulties associated with forced migration.

SUBMITTER: Tyrer RA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3933416 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: a systematic review.

Tyrer Rebecca A RA Fazel Mina M

PloS one 20140224 2

<h4>Background</h4>Research for effective psychological interventions for refugee and asylum-seeking children has intensified. The need for interventions in environments more easily accessed by children and families is especially relevant for newly arrived populations. This paper reviews the literature on school and community-based interventions aimed at reducing psychological disorders in refugee and asylum-seeking children.<h4>Methods and findings</h4>Comprehensive searches were conducted in s ...[more]

PMID: 24586715

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundFor the general population, the positive effects of paid employment on health and wellbeing are well established. However, less is known for people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. This review aims to systematically summarise the quantitative literature on the relationship between employment and health and wellbeing for refugees and asylum seekers.MethodA search strategy was conducted in online databases, including MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMCARE, SCOPUS, CINHAL, ProQuest and Web of Science. Articles were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies published in English between 2000 to October 2021 were included if they used quantitative methods to consider the relationship between employment and health for refugees and asylum seekers in resettlement countries. Study quality was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Tools. Findings were synthesised using a narrative approach.ResultsSeventy-two papers were identified. The majority of papers (N = 58, 81%) examined the association between employment and mental health outcomes. Overall, while there were inconsistencies in the findings, employment had a positive effect on mental health particularly in reducing levels of psychological distress and depression. Though more limited in number, the papers examining physical health suggest that people who are employed tend to have better physical health than unemployed persons. There was some evidence to support the bi-directional relationship between employment and health. Poor mental and physical health negatively impacted the odds of employment and occupational status of refugees.ConclusionGood quality employment is an essential component of refugee resettlement and this review found that in general employment is also beneficial for refugee health, particularly aspects of mental health. More research regarding the effects of employment on physical health is required. The effects of refugee-specific factors such as gender roles, torture, and trauma on the relationship between employment and health also require further investigation.

Project description:BackgroundFood and nutrition literacy is a newly emerged concept to connect food-related knowledge and skills to healthy diets. Its promotion is important to protect children as they eat too many low-nutrient, high-energy foods. Food and nutrition literacy promotion needs multi-dimensional interventions. In the process of developing an intervention to promote food and nutrition literacy, the present review protocol aims to critically examine the evidence in the area of school-based interventions for promoting food and nutrition literacy (FNLIT) in elementary school children.MethodsWe will search PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and ProQuest (from inception onwards). Additional studies will be identified through manual searching of reference lists. Quantitative studies (e.g., randomized controlled trial, quasi-randomized trials, and cluster randomized trials) evaluating the effect of interventions to promote food and nutrition literacy in elementary school children (5-12?years old) will be included. Main outcomes will be food and nutrition literacy at functional, interactive, and critical levels. Secondary outcomes will be dietary intake indicators (e.g., healthy eating index, DDS) and health outcome measures (e.g., reduction in BMI and less weight gain). Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. Potential conflicts will be resolved through discussion. The study methodological quality (or bias) will be appraised using appropriate tools. If feasible, we will conduct random effects meta-analysis. The quality of the included studies will separately evaluate using the validated Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP). Data will be extracted by two reviewers from the identified relevant literature. Standard data synthesis and analysis will be used for the review.DiscussionThis systematic review will summarize the evidence regarding the components, implementation methods, and effectiveness of the interventions of food and nutrition literacy promotion in elementary school children. The results of this review will provide a useful reference for policymakers and curriculum developers to assess education curricula and develop practical learning and teaching strategies to improve students' food and nutrition literacy.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO (CRD42019135118).

Project description:BACKGROUND:School health systems are increasingly investing in telemedicine platforms to address acute and chronic illnesses. Asthma, the most common chronic illness in childhood, is of particular interest given its high burden on school absenteeism. OBJECTIVE:Conduct a systematic review evaluating impact of school-based telemedicine programs on improving asthma-related outcomes. DATA SOURCES:PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Embase, and Google Scholar. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:Original research, including quasi-experimental studies, without restriction on the type of telemedicine. PARTICIPANTS:School-aged pediatric patients with asthma and their families. INTERVENTIONS:School-based telemedicine. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS:Two authors independently screened each abstract, conducted full-text review, assessed study quality, and extracted information. A third author resolved disagreements. RESULTS:Of 371 articles identified, 7 were included for the review. Outcomes of interest were asthma symptom-free days, asthma symptom frequency, quality of life, health care utilization, school absences, and spirometry. Four of 7 studies reported significant increases in symptom-free days and/or decrease in symptom frequency. Five of 6 reported increases in at least one quality-of-life metric, 2 of 7 reported a decrease in at least 1 health care utilization metric, 1 of 3 showed reductions in school absences, and 1 of 2 reported improvements in spirometry measures. LIMITATIONS:Variability in intervention designs and outcome measures make comparisons and quantitative analyses across studies difficult. Only 2 of 7 studies were randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS:High-quality evidence supporting the use of school-based telemedicine programs to improve patient outcomes is limited. While available evidence suggests benefit, only 2 comparative trials were identified, and the contribution of telemedicine to these studies' results is unclear.

Dataset Information

School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: a systematic review.

Background

Methods and findings

Conclusions

Publications

School and community-based interventions for refugee and asylum seeking children: a systematic review.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets