Young North Korean refugees are at a higher risk of psychiatric disorders

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-05-30 10:30

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Young North Korean refugees settling in South Korea have a higher risk of psychiatric disorders than their South Korean peers, according to international research. The team looked at South Korea's health insurance database to compare the mental health outcomes of 1618 young North Korean refugees with about 300,000 South Korean young people of similar demographics. The researchers say the risk of developing a psychiatric disorder was higher for the North Koreans - the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder was more than doubled, with ADHD, bipolar, major depressive disorder and anxiety also among the conditions with the largest difference in risk. The researchers say North Korean refugees are a useful case study on how the environment someone grows up in can impact their mental health.