Addressing Sleep Health in Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. Cultural Adaptation in Refugee Interventions
1.2. The Current Study
1.3. Theoretical Framework
2. Methods
2.1. Search Strategy
2.2. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
2.3. Data Extraction
3. Results
3.1. Study Characteristics
3.2. Intervention Outcomes
3.3. Cultural Adaptation
4. Discussion
4.1. Limitations
4.2. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Author (Year) | Study Country | Participant COO | Sample Size | Intervention Modality | Study Design | Sleep Outcome | Sleep Measure | Non-Sleep Outcomes | Non-Sleep Measures |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beck et al. (2018) | Denmark | Iraq (8), Afghanistan (3), Syria (4), Iran (1) | 16 | GIM | Non-controlled pre-test/post-test pilot | Sleep quality | PSQI | Trauma symptoms, well-being, social function, and intervention satisfaction | HTQ-IV, WHO-5, GAF-F |
Jespersen and Vuust (2012) | Denmark | Iran (2), Sri Lanka (1), Afghanistan (3), Syria (3), Kosovo (1), Vietnam (2), Iraq (3) | 15 | Music listening | Two-group pre-test/post-test experimental design | Sleep quality | PSQI | Trauma symptoms and well-being | PTSD-8, HDYF |
Leiler et al. (2020) | Sweden | Most from Afghanistan, several different countries in the Middle East | 25 | AMIN | Two-group pre-test/post-test intervention trial | Insomnia | ISI | Anxiety, depression, PTSD, quality of life, and catastrophizing of symptoms | RHS, WHOQOL-BREF, SCS |
Madsen et al. (2016) | Denmark | Not mentioned | 3 | BBAT | Phenomenological | Falling asleep/sleep quality | NA | NA | NA |
Poschmann et al. (2021) | Denmark | Iraq (2), Iraq (Kurdistan) (2), Syria | 5 | IRT | Two-group pre-test/post-test intervention | Nightmares and sleep disturbances | DDNSI, PSQI | PTSD, level of functioning, and quality of life | HTQ-IV, HSCL-25 |
Sandahl et al. (2021b) | Denmark | Afghanistan (26), Iran (73), Lebanon (15), Syria (58), Other (35) | 219 | IRT | RCT | Subjective sleep quality | PSQI, DDNSI | PTSD, depression and anxiety, quality of life, and functional impairment, global functioning | HTQ, HSCL, WHO-5, SDS, GAF-S, WHODAS 2.0, HAM-D, HAM-A |
Spanhel et al. (2022) | Germany | Syria (39), Afghanistan (6), Turkey (3), United Arab Emirates (3), Iraq (2), Nigeria (2), Gambia (2), Sierra Leone (2), Lebanon (2), Iran, Eritrea, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan | 66 | eSano Sleep-e | Randomized controlled pilot trial | Insomnia severity, sleep quality, and fear of sleep | ISI, PSQI, FOSI-SF | Fatigue, depression, well-being, and mental health literacy | MFI, PHQ-9, RHS-15, MHLQ |
Wagner et al. (2023) | United States | Cambodia | 188 | EWS | RCT | Mean nighttime total sleep score, sleep maintenance efficiency, mean nighttime wake after sleep onset, SD of 24-h TST, and SD of sleep timing | Measured using actigraphy and subjectively with self-report | Nutrition/food eaten, and physical activity | Self-reported food diary, actigraphy for physical activity |
Zehetmair et al. (2020) | Germany | Middle East, Balkan Peninsula, North Africa, Sub-Sahara Africa | 42 | Guided Imagery | Qualitative | NA | NA | NA | NA |
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Kirsch, J.; Spadola, C.E.; Parikh, K.; Kerr, K.; Attarian, H. Addressing Sleep Health in Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation. Soc. Sci. 2025, 14, 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080485
Kirsch J, Spadola CE, Parikh K, Kerr K, Attarian H. Addressing Sleep Health in Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation. Social Sciences. 2025; 14(8):485. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080485
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirsch, Jaclyn, Christine E. Spadola, Kabir Parikh, Kristen Kerr, and Hrayr Attarian. 2025. "Addressing Sleep Health in Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation" Social Sciences 14, no. 8: 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080485
APA StyleKirsch, J., Spadola, C. E., Parikh, K., Kerr, K., & Attarian, H. (2025). Addressing Sleep Health in Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review of Intervention Effectiveness and Cultural Adaptation. Social Sciences, 14(8), 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080485