Mental health of humanitarian entrants born in Afghanistan

In 2021, 1,113 (6.6%) of Afghan humanitarian entrants self-reported a mental health condition. When standardised for age, the rate of self-reported mental health conditions among Afghan humanitarian entrants was lower than the rest of the Australian population (7.3% and 10.6% respectively).

Self-reported mental health conditions were more commonly reported in females than males among Afghan humanitarian entrants across all age groups (Figure 6.5). The rate was highest in the 50–59 and 60–69 age groups, with more than 1 in 5 female Afghan humanitarian entrants in these age groups reporting living with a mental health condition.

The following data visualisation (Figure 6.5) presents a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).

Figure 6.5: Rate of self-reported mental health conditions in Afghan humanitarian entrants, by age and sex, 2021

There was a higher rate of self-reported mental health conditions in females than males among Afghan humanitarian entrants across all age groups.

The higher rates of self-reported mental health conditions among females was consistent with studies on mental health in populations within Afghanistan and in populations resettled in Australia:

  • In Afghanistan, women have been found to have significantly poorer mental health status than men, likely due to discrimination against women and restriction of their rights under Taliban rule (Cardozo et al. 2004).
  • Female Afghan and Kurdish refugees in Australia have higher rates of psychological distress than males and these persist over time (Sulaiman-Hill and Thompson 2012). This might explain the increased rate observed among female Afghan humanitarian entrants in older age groups in this report. 
  • Social isolation due to the lack of extended family, perceived lack of community, and cultural differences in the role of spousal partners were identified as contributors to mental health issues in Afghan women in Southeast Melbourne (Rintoul 2010).

In 2021, the proportion of the population with at least one antidepressant prescription dispensed was also higher among female Afghan humanitarian entrants and in the older age groups (Figure 6.6). More than 1 in 3 female Afghan humanitarian entrants aged 50–59 and 60–69 had an antidepressant prescription dispensed in 2021, compared with less than 1 in 5 in the overall female humanitarian entrants in these age groups. Among Afghan humanitarian entrants aged 60–69 and over 70, more than 1 in 4 had an antidepressant prescription dispensed in 2021, which is similar to the whole of the humanitarian population in these age groups. 

When interpreting these results, it is important to note that some antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (brand name ENTRIP, Endep), are more commonly used for the treatment of chronic pain and migraine prevention. However, a study has found that chronic pain can also be a symptom of mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among refugees seeking psychological treatment for trauma (Morina et al. 2018).

The following data visualisation (Figure 6.6) presents a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).

Figure 6.6: Proportion of the population with at least one antidepressant prescription dispensed in Afghan humanitarian entrants, by age and sex, 2021

The proportion of the population with at least one mental health prescription dispensed was higher among female Afghan humanitarian entrants and in the older age groups.

General Practice (GP) mental health treatment plans are the predominant way of accessing Medicare-subsidised mental health care in Australia. Further background can be found on Health service use – GP mental health treatment plans.

Among the Afghan humanitarian entrant population, a higher proportion of females than males had a GP mental health treatment plan (Figure 6.7). This is consistent with Australian research using the Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian entrants, which found that being female and older were positively associated with professional help-seeking behaviours among Afghan humanitarian entrants (Tomasi et al. 2022). Afghan males may also be less likely to seek mental health care due to the stigma associated with mental illness in Afghan culture (Nine et al. 2022). 

Data presented in this section does not capture mental health care services accessed through other pathways such as the Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma or community and religious groups and the overall use of mental health services by Afghan humanitarian entrants.

The following data visualisation (Figure 6.7) presents a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).

Figure 6.7: Proportion of Afghan humanitarian entrants with a GP mental health treatment plan, by age and sex, 2021

The proportion of the population with a GP mental health treatment plan was higher among females than males, peaking in the 50-59 year age group for females and 60-69 year age group for males.

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