Objective: By recent estimates, 200,000 persons were imprisoned for political reasons in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) between 1949 and 1989. Former political prisoners suffer from the experience of political persecution also in a long-term. The aim of this study was to assess long-term effects on anxiety and depression.
Methods: Anxiety and depression were assessed by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, German version (HADS).
Results: The anxiety of the former political detainees is significantly increased in comparison to an age- and gender matched subsample of the general population (10 vs. 4,8; p < 0,001, effect size d = 1,33). The same applies to the depression (9.7 vs. 5,6; p < 0,001; effect size d = 0,92).
Conclusions: Even many years after the political detention people report highly increased anxiety and depression.