Work

Trauma and economic displacement: psychological consequences and interventions among Venezuelan refugees in the Americas

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This review conceptualizes the Venezuelan refugee crisis as a form of war-like displacement produced by protracted economic collapse, institutional breakdown, and chronic insecurity rather than conventional armed conflict. Synthesizing epidemiological studies and humanitarian reports, it describes consistently elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms among Venezuelan refugees and migrants across the Americas, with prevalences comparable to those observed in conflict-affected refugee populations. The article argues that cumulative exposure to pre-migration deprivation, life-threatening migratory routes such as the Darién Gap, and post-migration legal precarity and discrimination is best understood through ecological and continuous traumatic stress frameworks, which highlight chronic threat and social determinants of mental health. Finally, the review examines emerging evidence on low-intensity, community-based, and culturally adapted interventions, outlining promising scalable approaches as well as structural, systemic, and methodological barriers that currently limit access, effectiveness, and sustainability of care for Venezuelan refugees.

Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1789270

Authors: Gabriel Andrade, Maha Dahawi

Institution: Ajman University

Language: English

Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801