Mental health burden among survivors of sexual-exploitation trafficking: a global systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the mental health burden among survivors of sexual exploitation trafficking, analyzing 18 studies. The findings revealed a pooled prevalence of 44.0% for PTSD, 50.5% for depression, and 52.3% for anxiety among survivors, highlighting significant mental health challenges in this population.

Key findings

• Pooled prevalence of PTSD among survivors was 44.0% (95% CI 30.3-58.7).
• Depression prevalence was found to be 50.5% across the studies.
• Anxiety was reported in 52.3% of survivors included in the analysis.
• 19.1% of survivors reported having attempted suicide.

Why it matters

Understanding the mental health challenges faced by survivors of sexual exploitation trafficking is crucial for developing effective screening and intervention strategies. Clinicians can use these prevalence rates to inform care and support for this vulnerable population.