Providing Care for Migrants and Refugees

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S35-S35
Author(s):  
M. Schouler-Ocak
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

With growing globalisation and an increasing number of people on the move across boundaries, it has become vital that service providers, policy makers and mental health professionals are aware of the different needs of the patients they are responsible. One of the most fundamental barriers for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in accessing health services are inadequate legal entitlement and, mechanisms for ensuring that they are well known and respected in practice. Access to the healthcare system is impeded by language and cultural communication problems. Qualified language and cultural mediators are not widely available, and moreover, are not regularly asked to attend. This can lead to misunderstandings, misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment, with serious consequences for the afflicted. The language barrier represents one of the main barriers to access to the healthcare system for people who do not speak the local language; indeed, language is the main working tool of psychiatry and psychotherapy, without which successful communication is impossible. Additionally, the lack of health literacy among the staff of institutions, which provide care for refugees and asylum seekers means that there is a lack of knowledge about the main symptoms of common mental health problems among these groups. The healthcare services, which are currently available, are not well prepared for these increasing specific groups. In dealing with ethnic minorities, including asylum seekers and refugees, mental healthcare professionals need to be culturally competent.In this talk, main models for providing mental health care for migrants and refugees will be presented and discussed.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment: A systematic review

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mosidi B. Serobatse ◽  
Emmerentia Du Plessis ◽  
Magdalena P. Koen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Health Treatment

Background: Non-compliance to treatment remains one of the greatest challenges in mental healthcare services, and how to improve this remains a problem.Aim: The aim of this study was to critically synthesise the best available evidence from literature regarding interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment. The interventions can be made available for mental health professionals to use in clinical practice.Method: A systematic review was chosen as a design to identify primary studies that answered the following research question: What is the current evidence on interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment? Selected electronic databases were thoroughly searched. Studies were critically appraised and identifid as answeringthe research questions. Evidence extraction, analysis and synthesis were then conducted by means of evidence class rating and grading of strength prescribed in the American Dietetic Association’s manual.Results: The systematic review identifid several interventions that can improve patients’ compliance in mental health treatment, for example adherence therapy and motivational interviewing techniques during in-hospital stay.Conclusions: Conclusions were drawn and recommendations formulated for nursing practice, education and research.Agtergrond: Geen-samewerking met behandeling bly steeds een van die grootste uitdagings in geestesgesondheidsorgdienste, en genoegsame kennis oor hoe om dit te verbeter, is steeds ’n probleem.Doelwit: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die beskikbare bewyse vanuit literatuur aangaande intervensies ter bevordering van psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling krities te sintetiseer. Hierdie intervensies kan aan professionele gesondheidsorgpersoneel beskikbaar gestel word ter bevordering van psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling.Metode: ’n Sistematiese literatuuroorsig is gekies as die ontwerp om primêre studieste identifieer wat die volgende navorsingsvraag beantwoord: Wat is die huidige kennis ten opsigte van intervensies wat psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling bevorder?Resultate: Studies is ingesluit vir kritiese gehalte-beoordeling ten opsigte van metodologie, en is uiteindelik geïdentifieer as bronne van bewyse wat die literatuuroorsigvraag toepaslik beantwoord. Bewysonttrekking, -analise en -sintese is gedoen deur middel van die beoordeling van bewysklas en -gradering van bewyssterkte, soos voorgeskryf in die American Dietetic Association se handleiding. Die sistemiese literatuuroorsig het aangedui datdaar heelparty intervensies is wat psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met behandeling kan verbeter, byvoorbeeld samewerkingsterapie en motiveringsonderhoudstegnieke.Gevolgtrekking: Gevolgtrekkings is gemaak en aanbevelings is geformuleer vir die verpleegpraktyk, verpleegonderrig en navorsing in verpleging.

Mental Health Problems following the 2005 Earthquake in Kashmir: Findings of Community-Run Clinics

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 541-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Kumar Chadda ◽  
Anil Malhotra ◽  
Nanaji Kaw ◽  
Jaspreet Singh ◽  
Hem Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Adjustment Disorders ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems

AbstractIntroduction:Events such as earthquakes are followed by significant psychiatric morbidity due to the enormous damage caused to life, health, property, and other resources in the affected area. In October 2005, a devastating earthquake occurred in Kashmir in India. A team of mental health professionals visited the earthquake stricken area to provide mental health services five weeks after of the event.Methods:The team conducted clinics at >30 sites in different villages in the area. This paper describes the mental health problems encountered in those communities.Results:All patients seen in the clinics had their houses destroyed by the earthquake.Nearly one-fourth had suffered serious physical injuries and 12% had lost one of their family members. Common psychiatric diagnoses included adjustment disorders (39.6%), depressive episode (22.6%), and other stress disorders (21.8 %). Only 10 (3.3%) patients were found to suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), though PTSD-like symptoms were reported by more than two-thirds of the patients.Conclusions:Adjustment disorders, depression, other stress reactions, and PTSD-like symptoms were the common mental health problems five to six weeks following an earthquake.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Assessment of Mental Health Needs Faced by Religious Leaders in Eastern Europe

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent M. Ellens ◽  
Mark R. McMinn ◽  
Linda L. Lake ◽  
Matthew M. Hardy ◽  
Elizabeth J. Hayen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Support Skills ◽  
Eastern European Countries

Enormous sociopolitical changes in Eastern Europe in the last decade have had a profound impact on the psychological functioning of the citizens of these nations. In order to assess and intervene in the mental health realm in Eastern Europe, a brief survey was sent to various Christian leaders in Eastern Europe. Common mental health problems identified across the various Eastern European countries and cultures include depression, relationship difficulties, alcohol abuse, and anxiety disorders. Christians in Eastern Europe tend to turn to family and friends for help with these problems first, pastors second, and almost never to mental health professionals. Clergy and laypersons have little training in mental health issues. A promising direction for future service is training those who can, in turn, train Eastern European laypersons in basic listening and support skills. Cultural awareness and sensitivity will be of paramount importance in such an endeavor.

scholarly journals Barriers to Mental Health Help-Seeking Amongst Refugee Men

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulisha Byrow ◽  
Rosanna Pajak ◽  
Tadgh McMahon ◽  
Amitabh Rajouria ◽  
Angela Nickerson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Ptsd Severity

Rates of help-seeking for mental health problems are low amongst refugee communities, despite the high prevalence of PTSD reported amongst these individuals. Research suggests that the key barriers to seeking help for psychological problems include structural barriers (e.g., unstable housing), cultural barriers (e.g., mental health stigma), and barriers specific to refugees and asylum seekers (e.g., visa status). This study examined the effect of structural, cultural and refugee specific barriers on the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and intentions to seek help from professional, social, and community sources. Data was collected from 103 male refugees and asylum seekers with an Arabic-, Farsi-, or Tamil-speaking background. Participants completed measures indexing demographics, trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, mental health stigma, and help-seeking intentions. Path analyses indicated that PTSD severity was associated with lower help-seeking intentions indirectly via mental health stigma (self-stigma for seeking help and self-stigma for PTSD) and visa security. PTSD severity was also associated with greater help-seeking intentions from community members indirectly via structural barriers. These findings are important to consider when identifying key barriers to mental health help-seeking and developing interventions designed to increase help-seeking for psychological problems, within this group.

scholarly journals The Social Determinants of Refugee Mental Health in the Post-Migration Context: A Critical Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Hynie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Refugee Mental Health ◽  
Migration Trauma ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

With the global increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers, mental health professionals have become more aware of the need to understand and respond to the mental health needs of forced migrants. This critical review summarizes the findings of recent systematic reviews and primary research on the impact of post-migration conditions on mental disorders and PTSD among refugees and asylum seekers. Historically, the focus of mental health research and interventions with these populations has been on the impact of pre-migration trauma. Pre-migration trauma does predict mental disorders and PTSD, but the post-migration context can be an equally powerful determinant of mental health. Moreover, post-migration factors may moderate the ability of refugees to recover from pre-migration trauma. The importance of post-migration stressors to refugee mental health suggests the need for therapeutic interventions with psychosocial elements that address the broader conditions of refugee and asylum seekers’ lives. However, there are few studies of multimodal interventions with refugees, and even fewer with control conditions that allow for conclusions about their effectiveness. These findings are interpreted using a social determinants of health framework that connects the risk and protective factors in the material and social conditions of refugees’ post-migration lives to broader social, economic and political factors.

Digital psychiatry: implications for patients and services

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
James P Pandarakalam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased burden on all medical services and healthcare professionals are applying new strategies to cope with the added demands. During the pandemic mental healthcare services in many parts of the world have been reorganised to incorporate modern technology and maintain efficient service delivery. Mental health professionals are playing a major role in alleviating the suffering resulting from this pandemic. A selective survey of the literature, including narrative reviews, was carried out to study the implications of digital psychiatry. Historically, epidemics have had a substantial effect on mental health and general health services. Telehealth appears to be the right solution to the present mental health crisis, but technology cannot substitute for human presence and proximity in mental health services, so the newer interventions have advantages and disadvantages. Remote methods of therapy are likely to continue to be used and proper assessment of these new ways of working in psychiatry is required. In the post-pandemic period, the challenge will be to combine digital and in-person therapies. Discussions about digital revolution in the field of psychiatry should be modified to digital evolution.

scholarly journals Mental health in post-earthquake Nepal

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Long Run

For two decades, Government of Nepal has made efforts to develop and maintain mental health professionals in all areas; however, much has to be done. This could be an opportunity for Nepal to redesign mental healthcare services at the community level. Primary mental health services integrated with community mental health could help children and families cope with and recover from mental illnesses in the long run.

scholarly journals Multiculturalism and Compassion: Responding to Mental Health Needs Among Refugees and Asylum Seekers Comment on "A Crisis of Humanitarianism: Refugees at the Gates of Europe"

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 734-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Satinsky ◽  
Theodoros A. Filippou ◽  
Antonis A. Kousoulis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Culturally Relevant ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Service Design ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

As Fotaki (2019) argues, the current political climate in Europe is threatening principles of humanitarianism, particularly among refugees and asylum seekers. This commentary builds on that argument, with a spotlight on mental health and culturally relevant service design. By addressing some of the barriers faced by refugees and asylum seekers in accessing mental healthcare, we can address inequalities and develop compassionate societies.

scholarly journals Culturally adapted mental healthcare: evidence, problems and recommendations

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 153-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sokratis Dinos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cultural Adaptations ◽  
Culturally Adapted

SummaryEvidence suggests disparities in the prevalence of mental health problems and access to mental healthcare for a number of minority groups. The main response from mental health services falls into two related categories: (a) cultural adaptations of existing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and/or (b) cultural competence of mental health professionals. This editorial looks at the evidence on culturally adapted EBIs and argues that although such interventions can be effective, they also carry the risk of alienating members of the groups they are aimed at. Recommendations focus on identifying issues that pertain to being from a racial minority and/or possessing other stigmatised identities that can have an impact on mental health problems, which may be overlooked by mental health services by assuming an overarching predominant cultural identity.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document