Beginning Again: West African Women's Experiences of Being Migrants in Australia (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
We conducted a qualitative study involving African migrants (n = 20) and service providers (n = 10) in South Australia to explore mental health stressors, access to mental health services and how to improve mental health services for African migrant populations. This paper presents the views and experiences of African migrants about the post-migration stressors they faced in resettlement that pose mental health challenges. The participants were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. To align with the COVID-19 pandemic protocol, the data collection was conducted using one-on-one online interviews through Zoom or WhatsApp video calls. Data analysis was guided by the framework analysis. The post-migration stressors, including separation from family members and significant others, especially spouses, imposed significant difficulties on care provision and in managing children’s attitudes and behavior-related troubles at school. African cultural practices involving the community...
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 2020
Resettled refugees are an important and growing population in Australia with special health needs. Many are at an increased risk for health problems due to their past and current migration experiences, but how migration shapes refugee health is not well understood. Such information is important to help settlement nations' design services that best meet the needs of refugees. Drawing on a qualitative phenomenological perspective, semistructured interviews were conducted with 19 adult refugees living in Australia to examine the relationship between their health and migration experiences. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Findings from this study indicate that the health of participants is influenced by premigration violence and loss, and stressors associated with living in transit and settlement countries. Social support, religiosity and future aspirations were commonly reported enablers of health and well-being. Gender appears to play a significant role in the health outcomes of our refugee population.
BMC Public Health
Background Women of Refugee Background (WoRB) are a highly vulnerable population with complex going mental health needs following resettlement. In Australia, there has been a substantial increase in WoRB being resettled in rural and regional locations. Despite this, no research to date has specifically focused on factors contributing to mental distress in WoRB in regional resettlement locations. The current study aimed to address this gap in literature. Methods 21 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with WoRB and service providers in regional locations of Tasmania, Australia. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed utilising Braun and Clarke (Qual Res Psychol 3(2):77–101, 2006) framework for conducting thematic analysis. Results Thematic analysis revealed that WoRB conceptualised mental health as a pathogenic entity, which significantly influenced their mental health help-seeking behaviours. The findings also highlighted h...
African Migrants and Stress Coping Strategies in Australia: Implications for Social Work
International Social Work, 2020
This research investigates resettlement stress among African migrants in Australia and how migrants manage stress. The research used 30 semi-structured interviews with African migrants in Western Australia. Participants used various strategies, including reliance on family as a community and on God –usually constructed by alliance rather than kinship -to manage stress. The paper’s key contribution highlights the multi-layered approach for social work to integration strategies for migrants. The study identifies three significant issues emerging: the importance of ‘families’ as community, networks, the experience of discrimination and the significance of faith in God as crucial migrant support factors.
The Health of Immigrant Women: Queensland Women from the Former Yugoslavia
Journal of Immigrant Health, 2002
A study of the social and health status of women from the former Yugoslavia was conducted in Queensland, Australia. Study participants were predominantly refugee women who had migrated to Australia between 1991 and 1996. A significant number of the women rated their health status as poor or fair. Most women did not perceive any change in health following migration, but more felt that their health had deteriorated than improved. Applying a social model of health, we explored the social contexts of countries of origin and destination that impact on women's health. We analyze how preimmigration trauma, settlement problems, health risk behaviors, and participation in screening programs affect women's health status and health needs. Data analysis indicated that government and nongovernment services can reduce the impact of preimmigration experience on health risk behaviors and poor health outcomes only to a limited degree. Since the low socioeconomic status of immigrants following immigration was identified by women as a main contributing factor to their poor health status, government support in tackling structural barriers in accessing the Australian labor market is essential to achieve positive health outcomes.
BMC Public Health
Background There has been a recent focus on resettlement of migrants and refugee in rural settings in Australia and elsewhere. Rural resettlement is seen as an opportunity to revitalise rural communities, to fill the needs of employers in these areas, and to provide a welcoming community within which new arrivals can integrate and settle. However, challenges to rural resettlement have been identified including difficulties securing employment, discrimination and social isolation. These challenges can affect resettlement outcomes including health and wellbeing, though relatively little research has examined these links. In this paper we explored experiences of people from refugee background settling in a rural Australian town, examining interconnections between social determinants of health (SDH) and integration. Methods Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 44 participants from Southeast Asia and Africa in a rural setting in South Australia, covering experiences of resettlemen...
2021
International mobility has increased steadily in recent times, bringing along a myriad of health, social and health system challenges to migrants themselves and the host nations. Mental health issues have been identified as a significant problem among migrants, with poor accessibility and underutilisation of the available mental health services (MHSs) repeatedly reported, including in Australia. Using a qualitative inquiry and one-on-one in-depth interviews, this study explored perspectives of African migrants and service providers on barriers to accessing MHSs among African migrants in South Australia. The data collection took place during the COVID-19 pandemic with lockdown and other measures to combat the pandemic restricting face to face meetings with potential participants. Online platforms including Zoom and/or WhatsApp video calls were used to interview 20 African migrants and 10 service providers. Participants were recruited from community groups and/or associations, and org...
Rural and Remote Health, 2008
Health and mental health practitioners in rural and regional Australia are increasingly being presented with the challenge of working cross-culturally. Due to a diversity of cultures, generic approaches are needed that take account of culture without requiring the practitioner to have detailed knowledge of each person's background. However, there are many practitioners from diverse backgrounds now working in Australia at various stages of enculturation into Western practice. The cultural grounding of one practitioner from West Africa is used to highlight potential areas of misunderstanding, and to offer an accessible point of departure for culturally sensitive practice and formal research opportunities.