ArticleBMJ public health2026
Psychological distress among unaccompanied migrants and persons prone to statelessness in Ghana: prevalence and associated factors from a community-based cross-sectional study.
Article in BMJ public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Psychological distress is a major mental health concern among migrants. Yet evidence concerning unaccompanied migrants and persons prone to statelessness remains limited, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This gap constrains efforts to advance their mental well-being and social inclusion in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3.4 and 10.2. This study therefore examined the prevalence of psychological distress and associated factors among these populations in Ghana. Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 481 participants who met predefined eligibility criteria in two purposively selected districts in Ghana. Guided by the Stress Process Model, psychological distress was measured using a study-specific 18-item scale adapted from the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition and Patient Health Questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's χ Results: Psychological distress was substantial, with 40.7% of respondents experiencing moderate-to-severe levels. Residence in rural/slum areas (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.159, 95% CI 1.502 to 3.104, p<0.001), the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (AOR=1.640, 95% CI 1.020 to 2.636, p=0.041) and younger age (AOR=1.874, 95% CI 1.076 to 3.266, p=0.027) were independently associated with higher odds of psychological distress relative to urban residence, Awutu Senya East Municipal Area and older age, respectively. Conversely, unaccompanied migrants (AOR=0.365, 95% CI 0.201 to 0.665, p=0.001) had lower odds of psychological distress than respondents who were both unaccompanied and stateless-prone. Conclusion: Psychological distress among unaccompanied migrants and persons prone to statelessness reflects intersecting structural and contextual vulnerabilities. Integrating targeted community-based mental health services with legal identity and documentation initiatives, and social protection programmes such as the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty may advance psychological well-being and social inclusion in support of SDG 3.4 and SDG 10.2.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.