Table 3 Findings on non-COVID-19 health outcomes (N = 10)

Akhtar 2021 [22]

Syrian refugees in Jordan

Depression (HSCL-25)

No effect on depressive symptoms pre vs. post-Covid-19-pandemic

Anxiety (HSCL-25

No effect on anxiety symptoms pre vs. post-Covid-19-pandemic

PTSD (PCL-5)

Improvement in PTSD symptoms pre vs. post-Covid-19-pandemic: 16.01 to 5.85 post-Covid-19-pandemic (p value not reported)

Bernardi 2021 [23]

Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Depression (CESD-10)

Positive association with increased Covid-1919 disruption

Anxiety (GAD-7)

Positive association with increased Covid-19 disruption

Guglielmi 2020 [24]

Rohingya adolescents in Bangladesh

Depression (PHQ-8)

Prevalence of 6.2% qualitatively linked to pandemic-related disruption depression during the pandemic. Contrasts with 3.7% depression prevalence among host community Bangladeshi adolescents in urban accommodation.

Hajjar 2021 [25]

Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Self-reported family stress (no instrument used)

88% reported constant stress. Common problems among children: anxiety, aggressiveness, irregular sleep, and hyperactivity.

Jones 2022 [26]

Syrian and Palestinian adolescent refugees, vulnerable Jordanians, Jordan.

Depression (PHQ-8)

Prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression amongst adolescents improved between May 2020 and January 2021 by 3.2pp (p < .001). When disaggregated, Syrian adolescents living among host communities had the highest prevalence of moderate to severe depression at 16% at R1 and 13% at R2 (p = < 0.05), and those in informal tented settlements had the lowest prevalence of 13% at R1 and 8% at R2(p = < 0.05). Qualitatively linked to easing of lockdown restrictions

Anxiety (GAD-7)

Jordanian adolescents were 7.7pp (p = .05) more likely to report increased anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 20.9pp (p = .001) more likely to report thoughts of self-harm due to the pandemic than Syrian refugees in refugee camps in Jordan (34). These adolescents described the causes of their anxiety as reduced privacy and increasing tension in the home due to lockdowns, fear of catching COVID-19, and reduced social relationships.

Kurt 2021 [27]

Syrian refugees in Turkey

Depression (PHQ-9)

Anxiety (GAD-7)

Prevalence 52.9% depression symptoms. Prevalence of 42.9% anxiety symptoms. Positive associations between COVID-19-induced resource loss and perceived discrimination and depressive and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.179, p < .01, β = 0.223, p < .001) (β = 0.151, p < .01, β = 0.211, p < .001) (33). Decreased social support significantly negatively predicted symptoms of depression (β = -0.233, p < .001) and anxiety (β = -0.231, p < .001). High levels of social support (1 SD above the mean) did not lead to any significant association between resource loss and depressive symptoms (β = 0.060, p = .405) and anxiety symptoms β = 0.031, p = .677

Lusambili 2020 [28]

Refugees & NGO staff in Kenya

Child health

Reported decrease in childhood immunisations due to the pandemic

Moya 2021 [30]

IDP primary caregivers, Colombia

Depression (Symptoms checklist 90-adapted) Anxiety (Symptoms checklist 90 -adapted)

Increased likelihood of reporting symptoms above the risk threshold by 5 pp (95% CI 0.4–10) for depression and 14 pp for anxiety (95% CI 10–18).

Parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index)

Increased likelihood of reporting symptoms above the risk threshold

Palit 2022 [33]

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Stress (RHS-15 parts I & II)

Surveys in July 2019 and November 2020 found a significant worsening in stress scores (Part I: 22.96 to 46.72 p < .001; and RHS-15 Part II: 4.43 vs. 6.91 p < .001.

Rodo 2022 [34]

Humanitarian actors (multiple county settings)

Child health

Reported increase in morbidity and mortality due to the pandemic