2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

To synthesize current evidence on the prevalence, risk factors, and interventions for mental health disorders among refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa.

Background:

Refugees and IDPs across Africa face severe psychological distress due to conflict, displacement, and chronic adversity. Despite numerous country-level studies, there remains limited understanding of the overall mental health landscape among displaced populations across the continent.

Design/Methods:

This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024554341). Five electronic databases and gray literature sources were searched up to January 20, 2025, for studies assessing mental health outcomes among refugees, IDPs, and asylum seekers in African countries. Eligible studies were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute and RoB 2 tools for risk of bias.

Results:

Seventy-eight studies encompassing more than 92,000 displaced persons from over 20 African nations were included. The most common disorders were post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. High heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Trauma exposure, gender-based violence, and poverty were frequent risk factors, while social cohesion and community support were protective. Limited intervention trials indicated promising effects of scalable, culturally adapted therapies such as group interpersonal therapy and self-help plus programs. Research gaps persist regarding suicidal ideation, long-term recovery, and the implementation of integrated mental health services within humanitarian settings.

Conclusions:

Displaced populations in Africa bear a high burden of mental health disorders with limited access to evidence-based care. Integrating low-intensity, community-delivered, and culturally adapted mental health interventions into humanitarian and national systems is urgently needed. Future longitudinal and hybrid implementation studies are essential to guide sustainable, context-appropriate mental health care for displaced populations across Africa.