Month / January 2020

Refugees who have come to Germany in recent years are physically healthier than the national average and also correspondingly more satisfied overall. At the same time, however, their mental health is lower than the national average. This is especially true for refugees over the age of 45, as an analysis of data from the survey “Living in Germany” has shown.

According to the study, refugees who have arrived in Germany since 2013 are 32 years old on average and thus much younger and healthier than the average population. However, the risk of mental illness increases with age. “This may be due to traumatic experiences resulting from dislocation and war,” says social scientist Diana Schacht, who analyzed the data with her colleague Maria Metzing. Other factors could also have a negative impact on mental health, including separation from family, uncertainties about future prospects, and limited access to the German healthcare system.

Further information

DIW: Geflüchtete der letzten Jahre sind körperlich gesünder als die Gesamtbevölkerung

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