IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v63y2017i4p352-358.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The synergy of the refugee crisis and the financial crisis in Greece: Impact on mental health

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitris C Anagnostopoulos
  • George Giannakopoulos
  • Nikos G Christodoulou

Abstract

Background: The current global financial crisis that started in 2008 resulted in a significant decline in global trade, slowing/reversing economic growth worldwide, and a dramatic increase in public sector debt. At the same time, the global migrant/refugee crisis has reached extreme rates, with millions of people being forced to abandon their homes and communities because of war, political violence or related threats. There is a broad consensus about the deleterious consequences of these crises on psychological well-being, depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, alcohol abuse and suicidal behavior. Although the separate consequences of economic recession and immigration are extensively discussed in previous research, we know very little about the processes through which the intersection of economic crisis and migrant crisis contributes to the vulnerabilities of natives and migrants during these crises. Of particular concern is the status of children, adolescents and their families, who constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society. Aim: To discuss the contexts that economic and migrant crises shape and suggest possible effects of this intersection on mental health risks, especially among children, adolescents and their families, through reflecting on the recent experience in Greece. Method: Review of the literature and critical analysis of the effects of the confluent crises. Conclusion: The interactive effects of these two crises need further exploration. Novel and diverse models of psychological understanding need to be developed in order to manage the effects of the confluent crises. The role of mental health professionals is crucial in this respect, offering culturally flexible, accommodating and empathetic approaches, allowing healing and acceptance in the face of adversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitris C Anagnostopoulos & George Giannakopoulos & Nikos G Christodoulou, 2017. "The synergy of the refugee crisis and the financial crisis in Greece: Impact on mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(4), pages 352-358, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:63:y:2017:i:4:p:352-358
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764017700444
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764017700444
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0020764017700444?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kyriaki Kosidou & Clara Hellner-Gumpert & Peeter Fredlund & Christina Dalman & Johan Hallqvist & Göran Isacsson & Cecilia Magnusson, 2012. "Immigration, Transition into Adult Life and Social Adversity in Relation to Psychological Distress and Suicide Attempts among Young Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(10), pages 1-8, October.
    2. Antonakakis, Nikolaos & Collins, Alan, 2014. "The impact of fiscal austerity on suicide: On the empirics of a modern Greek tragedy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 39-50.
    3. Kondilis, E. & Giannakopoulos, S. & Gavana, M. & Ierodiakonou, I. & Waitzkin, H. & Benos, A., 2013. "Economic crisis, restrictive policies, and the population's health and health care: The greek case," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(6), pages 973-980.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nikolaos Antonakakis & Nikolaos Antonakakis & Alan Collins, 2014. "Does Fiscal Consolidation Really Get You Down? Evidence from Suicide Mortality," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp182, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    2. Sarah Brown & Alexandros Kontonikas & Alberto Montagnoli & Mirko Moro & Luisanna Onnis, 2018. "Austerity, Life Satisfaction and Expectations," Working Papers 2018001, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    3. Balbo, Nicoletta & Carapella, Piergiorgio & Toffolutti, Veronica, 2020. "Trends in the use of mind-altering drugs among European adolescents during the Great Recession," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(5), pages 568-574.
    4. Jofre-Bonet, M. & Serra-Sastre, V. & Vandoros, S., 2016. "Better Health in Times of Hardship?," Working Papers 16/09, Department of Economics, City University London.
    5. Panagiotis Volkos & Emmanouil K Symvoulakis, 2021. "Impact of financial crisis on mental health: A literature review ‘puzzling’ findings from several countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(7), pages 907-919, November.
    6. Brown, Sarah & Kontonikas, Alexandros & Montagnoli, Alberto & Moro, Mirko & Onnis, Luisanna, 2021. "Life satisfaction and austerity: Expectations and the macroeconomy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. Jonathan Briody & Orla Doyle & Cecily Kelleher, 2019. "The Effect of the Great Recession on Health: A Longitudinal Study of Irish Mothers 2001-2011," Working Papers 201918, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    8. Geert Dom & Jerzy Samochowiec & Sara Evans-Lacko & Kristian Wahlbeck & Guido Van Hal & David McDaid, 2016. "The Impact of the 2008 Economic Crisis on Substance Use Patterns in the Countries of the European Union," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, January.
    9. Peralta-Gallego, Leia & Gené-Badia, Joan & Gallo, Pedro, 2018. "Effects of undocumented immigrants exclusion from health care coverage in Spain," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(11), pages 1155-1160.
    10. Kentikelenis, Alexander E., 2017. "Structural adjustment and health: A conceptual framework and evidence on pathways," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 296-305.
    11. Regina Queiroz, 2017. "From the exclusion of the people in neoliberalism to publicity without a public," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(1), pages 1-11, December.
    12. Claveria, Oscar, 2022. "Global economic uncertainty and suicide: Worldwide evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    13. João Veríssimo LISBOA & Mário Gomes AUGUSTO & Juan PIÑEIRO-CHOUSA, 2015. "A Combined Approach To Access Short Term Changes In Economic Activity Of Portugal And Spain," Revista Galega de Economía, University of Santiago de Compostela. Faculty of Economics and Business., vol. 24(2), pages 99-110.
    14. Rosalynn M. Record-Lemon & Magali Chevalier & Meredith Mackenzie & Marcos L. Moura & Kesha Pradhan & Vanessa Silva & Richard A. Young, 2021. "Transition Processes and Outcomes for Immigrant and Refugee Youth: a Narrative Review from a Goal-Directed Perspective," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 429-451, June.
    15. Honkaniemi, Helena & Juárez, Sol Pía & Katikireddi, Srinivasa Vittal & Rostila, Mikael, 2020. "Psychological distress by age at migration and duration of residence in Sweden," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    16. Xianning Wang & Zhengang Ma & Jiusheng Chen & Jingrong Dong, 2023. "Can Regional Eco-Efficiency Forecast the Changes in Local Public Health: Evidence Based on Statistical Learning in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    17. Strumpf, Erin C. & Charters, Thomas J. & Harper, Sam & Nandi, Arijit, 2017. "Did the Great Recession affect mortality rates in the metropolitan United States? Effects on mortality by age, gender and cause of death," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 11-16.
    18. Marinko Škare & Romina Prziklas Druzeta, 2015. "Fiscal Austerity Versus Growth in Croatia," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 9(1), March.
    19. Anastasia Zissi & George Stalidis, 2017. "Social class and mental distress in Greek urban communities during the period of economic recession," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(5), pages 459-467, August.
    20. Goulas, Eleftherios & Zervoyianni, Athina, 2016. "IMF-lending programs and suicide mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 44-53.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:63:y:2017:i:4:p:352-358. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.