Examines the health status of asylum seekers detained in the United States as well as the nature of their encounters with immigration officials. Study participants were 70 15- to 52-year-old asylum-seekers detained in 2 Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) centers and 3 county jails in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, a majority of who were from Africa. Many of the study participants reported traumatic experiences prior to immigration, including torture and imprisonment. Key findings revealed that asylum seekers exhibited high incidences of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder; the already high rates of poor psychological health worsened the longer that they were in detention and involved feelings of isolation and powerlessness as well as disturbing memories of persecution and attempted suicide; reported complaints of musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems increased with time in detention, and asylum seekers also reported difficulty gaining access to and dissatisfaction with medical care; and asylum seekers regarded their confinement as debilitating and degrading, and many reported enduring verbal abuse from immigration officials upon arrival in the U.S. and throughout detention. Not only is there a need for improved mental health services for detainees, but also alternatives to detention should be adopted. CONTENTS Acknowledgements I. Executive Summary II. Background III. Methods IV. Findings and Characteristics of Study Participants V. Mental Health of Detained Asylum Seekers VI. Physical Health, Medical Problems and Medical Care in Detention VII. Treatment in Detention Facilities VIII. Age Determinations by Dental Examinations for Young Asylum Seekers IX. Arrival in the United States X. Study Limitations XI. Legal Standards XII. Recommendations XIII. Appendices Affidavit by Nalton Ferraro,M.D. Study Questionnaire Additional Case Studies
