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Researching the mental health status of asylum seekers: reflections and suggestions for practice
- Authors:
- BERNARDES Dora, WRIGHT John, LIVINGSTONE Andrew G.
- Journal article citation:
- Diversity and Equality in Health and Care, 9(3), 2012, pp.201-208.
- Publisher:
- Insight Medical Publishing
This study investigated aspects of the mental health of asylum seekers who had recently arrived in the UK. It used the Post-Migration Living Difficulties Scale, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale, the PTSD Symptom Scale Interview, the Clinical Outcomes Routine Evaluation and in-depth interviews. A total of 29 asylum seekers, 26 of whom were male, representing 13 countries, agreed to take part. Findings revealed that the participants all experienced a feeling of fear and sadness about the uncertainty of their application for asylum, while fear of deportation affected their ability to carry out activities of daily life. Social support was deemed essential in helping them cope with these difficulties. The paper ends with some reflections on the challenges that arose during the investigation, and presents recommendations to help other researchers undertaking similar research.
Asylum seekers' perspectives on their mental health and views on health and social services: contributions for service provision using a mixed-methods approach
- Authors:
- BERNARDES Dora, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care, 6(4), December 2010, pp.3-19.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Asylum seekers must deal with their unresolved residential status at a time where their well-being may be fragile. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate asylum seekers' symptoms of psychological distress, in order to inform the services that should be offered while they wait for the outcome of their asylum application. The study comprised: mental health screening of 29 asylum seekers arrived in the UK using questionnaires; and in-depth interviews with 8 of these asylum seekers' one month later about their subjective experiences of the asylum process, its potential impacts on their mental health, and their suggestions for tackling mental health needs. The asylum seekers originated from 13 countries. Given the potential limitations of using ‘idioms of distress’ across cultures, the interview data provided rich descriptive accounts which helped locate the mental health needs that the asylum seekers experienced in the specificities of each participant's social context. The results revealed that psychological distress such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress is common among asylum seekers, but so are post-migratory living difficulties relating to accommodation, discrimination, worry about family back home, and not being allowed to work. The participants reported mixed experiences of health and social care services. These results suggest that asylum seekers' unique social position may affect their mental health. Implications for practice are presented.