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Torture victims struggling with post‐traumatic stress often experience elements in the dental treatment situation that may trigger trauma‐related reactions. The aim of the study was to explore intervention strategies that will enable dental health workers to adapt dental treatment to the needs of torture survivors. Exploratory interviews were conducted with 10 torture‐exposed resettled refugees with dental treatment experience in Norway. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which suggested that to minimize trauma‐reactions, dental personnel should focus on creating a safe therapeutic space and strengthening the patient's sense of control. Four main categories of clinical advice were proposed: (i) Acquire knowledge about psychology, consequences of torture, cultural differences, trauma‐informed care, and the patients' individual needs; (ii) Recognize the trigger‐potential of busyness or delays; (iii) Avoid surprises, such as sudden moves or actions and explore triggers individually, but make sure not to evoke images of interrogation, and; (iv) Provide overview both with respect to visibility in the clinical room, and to predictability regarding the dental treatment. Although undergoing dental treatment may be challenging for torture‐exposed individuals, it is possible to reduce the predicaments considerably by making feasible adaptions to the treatment and adopting a trauma‐informed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For people living with HIV (PLHIV) who can access lifesaving treatment, HIV has become a chronic lifelong condition; however, PLHIV have more mental and somatic comorbidities than their HIV-negative peers. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the prevalence of mental distress and identified factors associated with major depression among 244 well-treated PLHIV residing in Norway. Participants completed validated questionnaires covering mental and somatic health. The prevalence of mental distress, defined as a score on the Hopkins Symptom Check List-25 >1.75, was 32%, and that of symptoms of major depression, defined as a score on the Beck Depression Inventory-II ≥20, was 15%. The factors associated with major depressive symptoms identified using logistic regression were risk of drug abuse (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 15.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.28, 69.3), fatigue (AOR 12.5, 95% CI 3.90, 40.0), trouble sleeping (AOR 7.90, 95% CI 2.85, 21.9), African origin (AOR 3.90, 95% CI 1.28, 11.9), low education (AOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.18, 9.30), and non-disclosure (AOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.04, 10.0). Our findings indicate that the prevalence rates of mental distress and major depressive symptoms are higher among well-treated PLHIV residing in Norway than in the general population. These conditions are under-diagnosed and under-treated, and increased awareness is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is the most commonly noted symptom among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of fatigue among PLHIV in Norway. Two hundred and forty-four people were recruited from two hospitals to participate in a survey, which contained seven instruments used to investigate mental health, addiction, quality of life, and fatigue. More than a third of the participants (38.5%) suffered from fatigue. Predictors of fatigue were the presence of mental distress (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 8.98, 95%CI 3.81, 21.15), multimorbidity (AOR 5.13, 95%CI 1.40, 18.73), living alone (AOR 2.99, 95%CI 1.36, 6.56), trouble sleeping (AOR 2.67, 95%CI 1.06, 6.71), and increased body pain (AOR 1.44, 95%CI 1.25, 1.67). To improve the quality of life for many PLHIV, the continuum of HIV care must address fatigue and its predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torture victims often show symptoms of dental anxiety when receiving dental care, but little systematic research is available. The purpose of this study was to explore torture experiences, symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dental anxiety in refugees in Norway and to test the hypothesis that refugees with torture experiences are more prone to dental anxiety than refugees with no such experiences. A total of 173 refugees were interviewed shortly after an oral examination. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire‐PTSS16 were administered verbally through attending interpreters. Among torture victims (47%, n = 81), the prevalence of torture experiences involving mouth or teeth was 35% and 23%, respectively. Harvard Trauma Questionnaire mean sum scores were statistically significantly higher in torture victims (34.3 vs. 24.8). Torture survivors report a larger number of symptoms of PTSD, and dental anxiety shows a higher prevalence in refugees reporting PTSD symptoms than in refugees who do not report such symptoms. When analysed using logistic regression models, the data showed the odds of high levels of dental anxiety being 6.1 times higher in refugees with torture experiences compared with other refugees and 9.3 times higher in torture victims with PTSD symptoms. Oral health professionals should be aware of these associations when providing dental care to refugees. The hypothesis that tortured refugees are more prone to dental anxiety is supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Psychosocial Centre for Refugees at the University of Oslo conducted a project to study the relationship between psychosocial problems and traumatic exposure in a non‐clinical, non‐selected group of newly settled refugees in Norway. Fifty‐three doctors and health visiting nurses interviewed 462 refugees over the age of 16, in 20 municipalities in Norway. Exposure to life‐threatening events, physical violence and forced separation from family were strong predictors of psychological distress. The correlation between attitude to repatriation and traumatic exposure was explored. The main emphasis was put on the Bosnian and Kosovo‐Albanian refugees. 48.3 per cent suffered from symptoms of depression and anxiety and 18.2 per cent had psychological reactions related to traumatic stress experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]