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Legal Conditions for Refugees’ Mental Health: Implications of Legislative Changes in Programs for Newly Arrived Refugees in Sweden

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  • David Gunnarsson

    (Department of Health Sciences, The Swedish Red Cross University College, Hälsovägen 11, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Historical and Contemporary Studies, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Sweden)

  • Sofia Larsson

    (Department of Health Sciences, The Swedish Red Cross University College, Hälsovägen 11, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden)

  • Linda Vikdahl

    (Department of Health Sciences, The Swedish Red Cross University College, Hälsovägen 11, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Historical and Contemporary Studies, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Sweden)

Abstract

As the number of refugees in the world is increasing and it is known that social inequality negatively impacts mental health, it is important to study integration policies, such as labour market measures. In this article, the strategic interventions of the Swedish Public Employment Service are analysed to determine how the agency’s management handled and implemented the legal changes in the new support document for its case workers. The focus is on the effects of the changes in the legal text that transferred the responsibility for establishment initiatives for newly arrived migrants to the agency and, as a result, changed the conditions for newly arrived refugees’ mental health in the new establishment programme. Eight people representing different management functions at the agency were interviewed. The results show that the intention in the new programme to view newly arrived refugees in the same way as all other unemployed people, rather than as a special category, has meant that less attention is paid to the refugees’ mental health, and the opportunities for the agency’s street-level bureaucrats to help clients have decreased. In the face of predicted growing numbers of people having to abandon their homes due to conflicts and climate changes, governmental strategies such as these needs to be revisited in order for societies worldwide to be better prepared for that challenge.

Suggested Citation

  • David Gunnarsson & Sofia Larsson & Linda Vikdahl, 2023. "Legal Conditions for Refugees’ Mental Health: Implications of Legislative Changes in Programs for Newly Arrived Refugees in Sweden," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:3:p:32-:d:1194046
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sofia Larsson & David Gunnarsson & Linda Vikdahl, 2022. "Social Participation and Mental Health in the Establishment Programme for Newly Arrived Refugees in Sweden—A Document Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Markku Hyyppä & Juhani Mäki & Erkki Alanen & Olli Impivaara & Arpo Aromaa, 2008. "Long-term Stability of Social Participation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 389-396, September.
    3. Rechel, Bernd & Mladovsky, Philipa & Devillé, Walter, 2012. "Monitoring migrant health in Europe: A narrative review of data collection practices," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 10-16.
    4. Maria Niemi & Hélio Manhica & David Gunnarsson & Göran Ståhle & Sofia Larsson & Fredrik Saboonchi, 2019. "A Scoping Review and Conceptual Model of Social Participation and Mental Health among Refugees and Asylum Seekers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-27, October.
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