The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the need to address the psychosocial and mental health needs of refugees and internally displaced persons in low- and middle-income countries. COVID-19 prevention measures slowed essential services and healthcare, creating unique challenges for refugees and IDPs, including economic insecurity and societal instability. All of these factors may contribute to the reported declines in their psychosocial well-being.

To effectively define the problems of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) in addressing the needs of these populations, we conducted a systematic literature review of literature on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of refugees and displaced persons who have migrated between LMICs in the context of COVID-19.

Our findings indicate that mental health interventions, such as digital healthcare and community-focused solutions, have the potential to address the problems faced by refugees and IDPs. Nevertheless, these community-based support networks are overextended, continuously developing to meet the needs of these vulnerable populations while considering the limited digital literacy of the subject population, internet accessibility, and overall limits in reach. We found that the efficacy of interventions varied according to the distinctive needs and challenges of various refugee and IDP populations.

The findings indicate a need for an intersectional policy approach to address the complex network of factors influencing mental health outcomes, including gender, housing, employment status, and social inequalities. Global agencies, policymakers, and local governments must prioritize the development of comprehensive mental health support systems, assuring refugees and IDPs have sustainable and equitable access.

There is a high prevalence of depression among refugee youth in low- and middle-income countries, yet depression trajectories are understudied. This study examined depression trajectories, and factors associated with trajectories, among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda.

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study with refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala, Uganda. We assessed depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and conducted latent class growth analysis (LCGA) to identify depression trajectories. Sociodemographic and socioecological factors were examined as predictors of trajectory clusters using multivariable logistic regression.

Data were collected from n = 164 participants (n = 89 cisgender women, n = 73 cisgender men, n = 2 transgender persons; mean age: 19.9, standard deviation: 2.5 at seven timepoints; n = 1,116 observations). Two distinct trajectory clusters were identified: “sustained low depression level” (n = 803, 71.9%) and “sustained high depression level” (n = 313, 28.1%). Sociodemographic (older age, gender [cisgender women vs. cisgender men], longer time in Uganda), and socioecological (structural: unemployment, food insecurity; interpersonal: parenthood, recent intimate partner violence) factors were significantly associated with the sustained high trajectory of depression.

The chronicity of depression highlights the critical need for early depression screening with urban refugee youth in Kampala. Addressing multilevel depression drivers prompts age and gender-tailored strategies and considering social determinants of health.