Relationship between experiences of systemic injustice and wellbeing among refugees and asylum seekers: a systematic review

Objective: This study is a systematic review of the literature on systemic injustice and wellbeing among refugees and asylum seekers. 

Methods: The review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines for conducting systematic reviews. Four main databases were searched, and studies were screened based on specific inclusion criteria. The data were extracted and analysed using thematic analysis. 

Results: Fourteen studies, with various research designs met the study inclusion criteria. The themes identified were that “justice is human rights and a balance in power”. Consequences of experiencing systemic injustice were highlighted in the theme of “mistrust in the legal system and a preference for informal forms of justice”. Systemic injustice has negative impacts on wellbeing which formed the themes of “injustice and wellbeing”, “sense of agency/control” and “anger at injustice”. 

Conclusions: Experiences of systemic injustice have a negative impact on the wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers. Implications for refugee and asylum seeker wellbeing are discussed along with suggestions for working with this population. 

KEY POINTS

What is already known about this topic:

(1) Justice is fundamentally important to humans. 

(2) Experiencing an injustice has many negative consequences for wellbeing. 

(3) People with refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds face many risk factors for negative wellbeing and mental health. 

What this topic adds:

(1) Refugees and asylum seekers understand justice in terms of human rights and as a balance of power. 

(2) Refugees and asylum seekers face many barriers and to accessing justice through legal pathways and as such express a mistrust of the legal system. 

(3) A loss of control and agency over one’s life was associated with negative wellbeing outcomes.