Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark
Aim: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a multi-component social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in a well-defined group of refugee families 2–4 years after resettlement in Denmark. Methods: This longitudinal open-label comparison study involved 82 individuals from Syria...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Migration and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000376 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849470586165657600 |
|---|---|
| author | Nina Odgaard Nielsen Anne Vollen Rafn Signe Andersen Jan Rafn Hanne Kjærsgaard Birthe Petersen Anne Juul Sønderskov Morten Dahl Eirikur Benedikz Marianne Lindahl |
| author_facet | Nina Odgaard Nielsen Anne Vollen Rafn Signe Andersen Jan Rafn Hanne Kjærsgaard Birthe Petersen Anne Juul Sønderskov Morten Dahl Eirikur Benedikz Marianne Lindahl |
| author_sort | Nina Odgaard Nielsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aim: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a multi-component social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in a well-defined group of refugee families 2–4 years after resettlement in Denmark. Methods: This longitudinal open-label comparison study involved 82 individuals from Syria aged 13–53 years comprising an intervention group (IG, n = 50) and a comparison group (CG, n = 32), was conducted from 2019 to 2021. The main outcomes were self-rated health, assessed using a single item question from the Danish National Health Surveys, and mental wellbeing measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). Objective levels of cholesterol, blood glucose (HbA1c), and blood pressure were also determined. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the effect of the intervention on SWEMWBS scores. Results: A higher proportion in the IG (38 %) than in the CG (22 %) had rated their general health more positively after the intervention, though the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.38). There was a less decrease in SWEMWBS scores in the IG (slope 0.47) than in the CG (slope 0.27) from 2019 to 2020, indicating a positive, but insignificant, effect of the intervention (estimate: 0.20, 95 % CI:0.06 – 0.47, p = 0.13). This tendency of a positive effect was absent in 2021. High participation rate was significantly associated with higher post-intervention SWEMWBS scores (coefficient: 3.45, 95 % CI: 1.86 – 5.03, p < 0.01). No effects on objectively measured biomarkers were observed. Conclusions: The study demonstrated changes in self-rated health and SWEMWBS scores in the IG and CG, and indicated an overall tendency of a positive effect of the intervention on general health and mental wellbeing among the study participants. The effects might have been more pronounced without the convergence of counteracting factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and substantial fear arising from the European repatriation policies debated in 2021. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-de44b8ca0ef4420a9d94fc3ad0e248f0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-6235 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Migration and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-de44b8ca0ef4420a9d94fc3ad0e248f02025-08-20T03:25:07ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352025-01-011210033810.1016/j.jmh.2025.100338Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in DenmarkNina Odgaard Nielsen0Anne Vollen Rafn1Signe Andersen2Jan Rafn3Hanne Kjærsgaard4Birthe Petersen5Anne Juul Sønderskov6Morten Dahl7Eirikur Benedikz8Marianne Lindahl9Centre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark; Corresponding author.Centre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkCentre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkCentre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkCentre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkCentre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkLanguage Centre Næstved, Nygårdsvej 110, 4700 Næstved, DenmarkDepartment of Clinical Biochemistry, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebækvej 1, 4600 Køge, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, DenmarkOdense University Hospital and Svendborg Hospital, Kløvervænget, 5000 Odense C, DenmarkCentre for Health, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200 Slagelse, DenmarkAim: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a multi-component social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in a well-defined group of refugee families 2–4 years after resettlement in Denmark. Methods: This longitudinal open-label comparison study involved 82 individuals from Syria aged 13–53 years comprising an intervention group (IG, n = 50) and a comparison group (CG, n = 32), was conducted from 2019 to 2021. The main outcomes were self-rated health, assessed using a single item question from the Danish National Health Surveys, and mental wellbeing measured by the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS). Objective levels of cholesterol, blood glucose (HbA1c), and blood pressure were also determined. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the effect of the intervention on SWEMWBS scores. Results: A higher proportion in the IG (38 %) than in the CG (22 %) had rated their general health more positively after the intervention, though the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.38). There was a less decrease in SWEMWBS scores in the IG (slope 0.47) than in the CG (slope 0.27) from 2019 to 2020, indicating a positive, but insignificant, effect of the intervention (estimate: 0.20, 95 % CI:0.06 – 0.47, p = 0.13). This tendency of a positive effect was absent in 2021. High participation rate was significantly associated with higher post-intervention SWEMWBS scores (coefficient: 3.45, 95 % CI: 1.86 – 5.03, p < 0.01). No effects on objectively measured biomarkers were observed. Conclusions: The study demonstrated changes in self-rated health and SWEMWBS scores in the IG and CG, and indicated an overall tendency of a positive effect of the intervention on general health and mental wellbeing among the study participants. The effects might have been more pronounced without the convergence of counteracting factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and substantial fear arising from the European repatriation policies debated in 2021.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000376Refugee healthRefugee wellbeingSyriaResettlementInterventionEffect |
| spellingShingle | Nina Odgaard Nielsen Anne Vollen Rafn Signe Andersen Jan Rafn Hanne Kjærsgaard Birthe Petersen Anne Juul Sønderskov Morten Dahl Eirikur Benedikz Marianne Lindahl Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark Journal of Migration and Health Refugee health Refugee wellbeing Syria Resettlement Intervention Effect |
| title | Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark |
| title_full | Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark |
| title_fullStr | Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark |
| title_short | Effect of a multi-component, participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from Syria resettled in Denmark |
| title_sort | effect of a multi component participatory social and health promoting intervention on health and wellbeing in refugee families from syria resettled in denmark |
| topic | Refugee health Refugee wellbeing Syria Resettlement Intervention Effect |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000376 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ninaodgaardnielsen effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT annevollenrafn effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT signeandersen effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT janrafn effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT hannekjærsgaard effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT birthepetersen effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT annejuulsønderskov effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT mortendahl effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT eirikurbenedikz effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark AT mariannelindahl effectofamulticomponentparticipatorysocialandhealthpromotinginterventiononhealthandwellbeinginrefugeefamiliesfromsyriaresettledindenmark |