Examines the functional and behavioral health of a group of Sudanese unaccompanied refugee minors arriving in the United States from Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp. Resettled under the auspices of the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program, this group received close supervision and ongoing services, which facilitated study of a variety of health outcomes. Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine used 5 questionnaires, including the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the Child Health Questionnaire. Among the findings were that: (1) most of the youth rated their overall health highly and indicated that it had improved since arrival in the U.S.; (2) while the minors had high levels of functioning with respect to daily activities and school work, they had lower scores for comfort level and family functioning; (3) the children reported high rates of seeking medical care for physical symptoms that are associated with psychological distress; and (4) minors with PTSD noted feeling more isolated in the U.S. and were less likely to participate in group activities. Findings also suggested that resettlement staff might have overlooked some minors with PTSD or other emotional difficulties who needed more intensive mental health services.
