Research from Weill Cornell Medicine reveals that many asylum seekers in the United States are experiencing heightened levels of stress and pain, which are associated with signs of cardiovascular disease.
“We were surprised to find that the rates of these health issues were so high in a population that is otherwise young and seemingly healthy,” mentioned Dr. Gunisha Kaur, the lead author of the study, who works as an associate professor of anesthesiology and anesthesiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The research, released on December 5 in Nature Mental Health, reviewed medical evaluations from 453 asylum seekers in the U.S., focusing on symptoms linked to mental stress, risks for cardiovascular issues, and physical pain. The team was taken aback, discovering that the median age of the asylum seekers was just 30, which is relatively young for displaying cardiovascular concerns.
Dr. Jacob Lurie, a fellow in interventional pain medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dr. Harlan Linver Pietz, an internal medicine resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, co-authored the study while they were affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine.
A Combination of Stress Factors Affects Asylum Seekers
By the end of 2023, nearly 120 million people worldwide had experienced forced displacement, marking an 8% increase from the previous year, according to the United Nations Global Trends report. Beyond severe psychological trauma, many torture survivors also suffer from ongoing physical pain linked to past injuries.
In a qualitative study that examined stress, legal status, and pain, asylum seekers at the Human Rights Impact Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, which Dr. Kaur founded, reported alarming symptoms related to cardiovascular health. “Typically, clinicians and researchers do not check for cardiovascular problems in younger patients,” Dr. Kaur stated. This observation led the researchers to explore a broader group to assess the prevalence of these issues.
Identifying Conditions Allows for Proper Treatment
The authors began by reviewing evaluations of refugees from around the world who attended the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights between 2010 and 2020. This clinic, which serves survivors of torture seeking asylum, is staffed by medical students and overseen by faculty, including Dr. Kaur, who serves as co-medical director.
The analysis revealed that 47% of participants exhibited concerning cardiovascular disease symptoms such as heart palpitations, dizziness, stroke, and chest pain. Furthermore, 31% of participants with cardiovascular symptoms also reported experiencing psychological stress and physical pain. The combination of stress and pain was strongly linked to reports of cardiovascular symptoms.
These findings could encourage healthcare providers to take cardiovascular issues more seriously in this younger demographic. “This understanding will assist clinicians in recognizing how common cardiovascular symptoms can occur. Without proper diagnosis, effective treatment is not achievable,” stated Annabel Lee, a fourth-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College and co-author of the study.
The research team aims to further explore how prevalent these symptoms are among asylum seekers and identify possible interventions that could alleviate them. They suspect that the actual rates of stress, pain, and cardiovascular symptoms are likely even higher than what was observed in this study.
“This area remains largely unexamined and under-researched,” Dr. Kaur remarked. “Now that we are aware of the unexpected prevalence of these conditions, it is crucial that we address this issue as a priority. Enhanced rehabilitative services and reduced healthcare costs will not only benefit these individuals but also the communities they are part of.”
