Mineurs non accompagnés accueillis au centre psychiatrique d’orientation et d’accueil de l’hôpital Sainte-Anne, Paris

Abstract

Since its creation, the Psychiatric Guidance and Reception Centre (CPOA) has received and cared for patients aged 16 to 18. Among them, the rate of Unaccompanied Minor Refugees (UMR) has steadily increased, from 10% in 2016 to 12% in 2018. Meeting UMR patients most often occurs at the peak of their crisis, when their personal resources are overwhelmed and when they experience a severe state of psychological suffering. Our objective was to understand who UMR are concerning the particularities and the similarities they could share at clinical and therapeutic levels with other adolescents. We conducted a retrospective and observational cohort study of the 52 UMR received at the CPOA in 2018 in order to draw a portrait of them, to identify the specificities of their care, their guidance and their access to care, and to compare them with other young non UMR patients. UMR we met at CPOA in 2018 were most often boys aged 16 to 17, with limited resources and in great psychological distress. UMR had more suicidal behaviors (19%) than other minor patients (13%), and our results showed more prolonged consultations for UMR than non UMR at the CPOA (44% versus 41%), indicating that the isolated situation of UMRs complicates their ambulatory support. This study also allowed us to question the existence of emergency care specially dedicated to UMR. Although there are few recommendations to date, it seems important to reintroduce time into their care, in order to recreate a unit, which has sufficient place and time for these young patients whose lives are marked by many breakdowns.