About

Join this seminar to hear more about a recent study on depression among refugees in East Africa, its relationship with exposure to violence, and its impact on socioeconomic outcomes.

The speakers will share findings from a large, multicountry representative survey of 16,000 refugee and host community members in both urban and camp settings across Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

The results show that refugees have significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms and functional impairment compared to host populations. Refugees who experienced violence were more likely to suffer from depression and more likely to report functional impairment. Those with higher levels of depression and exposure to violence faced significant economic hardships, including higher unemployment rates, lower wages, poorer diets, and lower life satisfaction.

These findings underscore the disproportionate burden of depression on refugees in East Africa, particularly those exposed to prolonged violence and displacement, and highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions.

Read a summary about the research in this piece featured in The Conversation.

Find out more about the details of this study in the research paper here.

How to join this event

This is an online event that is free and open for all to attend.

Please click here to register for your place.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the login details for the session on Zoom.

About the speakers

Julia R. Pozuelo is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Pozuelo’s research lies at the intersection of global mental health and development economics. Her work focuses on creating affordable treatments for depression and other mental health disorders, especially in places where resources are scarce. She also leverages precision treatment models and artificial intelligence to enhance treatment effectiveness and utilizes large-scale surveys to better understand global mental health issues. Dr. Pozuelo has contributed to several studies using novel digital tools and participatory designs to address adolescent depression in rural South Africa and Uganda. She is currently working on a large precision trial in India aimed at improving depression outcomes and making healthcare delivery more cost-effective. Dr Pozuelo holds a BSc in Economics from Carlos III University of Madrid, an MSc in Economics for Development from the University of Oxford, and a DPhil in Psychiatry from the University of Oxford. She is also a member of the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford and an honorary researcher in the MRC/Wits-Agincourt Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Raphael Bradenbrink is a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Refugee Studies Centre and the Oxford Department of International Development. His work explores how refugees navigate economic challenges, the role of private sector donors in humanitarianism, refugee mental health, and the broader political systems that shape humanitarian responses. As a member of the Refugee Economies Programme, he undertook research on the economic lives of refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya. Originally from southern Germany, Raphael holds a MA in Political Science from Heidelberg University. He is also a documentary filmmaker.

This event is organised by the Refugee Mental Health and Place Network and co-sponsored by the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health.

Accessibility

We would like all events to be inclusive and accessible. Please do not hesitate to contact us by email to trudy.1.mensah@kcl.ac.uk to let us know if you have any access requirements or to find out more about this session.

More information

Refugee Mental Health and Place Network

We are a growing network of researchers and community organisations exploring post-migration factors and refugee mental health. We seek to strengthen interdisciplinary expertise and intersectoral capacity to inform health and social policy to help improve mental health outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers. Read more in our recent blog on Understanding the role of place in refugee mental health to inform policy.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Directory for Refugees and Migrants in London

The MHPSS Directory is a broad and detailed list of organisations providing mental health and social support services to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in London and Greater London. Click here to find out more and to download the directory.

ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health

The ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health develops research to promote and sustain good mental health in communities. We aim to shift public debate about mental health away from a focus on individualised interventions, towards social practices and policies that promote and sustain good mental health.