Description
Background: Torture is indescribably destructive and widely practiced; individuals, families, and communities are destroyed. Outcome studies related to torture treatment programs are limited, and most involve mental health. An understanding of broader psychosocial factors affecting survivors of torture and their impact on recovery is needed. Methods: A historical retrospective study was conducted on 58 clients of Survivors of Torture, International (SOTI). Intake data were collected when clients registered for services at SOTI. Follow up data were collected after six months of services. All data were collected by self-report and collected by SOTI staff. Fisher's Exact and Firth logistic regression tests were used to analyze the association between spending time with family and friends and a receiving a shelter or housing referral and a survivor of torture's recovery. The two outcomes were 1) if symptoms had improved and 2) if they were dealing with daily problems more effectively. Results: Of the 58 survivors included in this study, 72.41% believed their symptoms had improved, and a similar 70.769% believed they dealt with their daily problems more effectively, since starting services at SOTI. Significant associations between exposures of interest and outcomes were not found. Increased time between arrival to the United States and start of services at SOTI was most significantly associated with improved recovery. Discussion: Improved data measures and study design, and a larger sample size are needed to better evaluate torture treatment programs and the recovery of survivors of torture. Attenuated recovery among survivors who have been in the United States over 25 months, as compared to those who arrived 7-24 months prior to the start of services is an area to explore in future research
