Framing empirical discourse on mental health among refugees in Malaysia

Purpose This paper aims to examine the key gaps, limitations and characteristics of the existing empirical discourse on refugees’ mental health in the Malaysian context and provides insights into their prevalent mental health conditions. Design/methodology/approach Adhering to the PRISMA framework for selecting studies, this desk research used a comprehensive search strategy in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Detailed screening and analysis of 26 selected studies were conducted in quantitative and qualitative phases inspired by Hashmi et al.'s (2020) framework on systematic review. Findings The findings reveal an increasing interest in studies on mental health among refugees in Malaysia. Most studies used quantitative methods and focused on depression, stress and trauma levels among Rohingya refugees. Practical implications This paper emphasises the importance of addressing mental health concerns holistically, considering the unique challenges faced by refugees in Malaysia. Originality/value The insights gained are hoped to contribute to developing evidence-based strategies for improving refugees’ mental health and overall well-being.