IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p8906-d620713.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Migrants and Service Providers’ Perspectives of Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services in South Australia: A Case of African Migrants with a Refugee Background in South Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Nelsensius Klau Fauk

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia
    Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change, Jl. R. W. Monginsidi II, No. 2, Kupang 85221, Indonesia)

  • Anna Ziersch

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Hailay Gesesew

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Paul Ward

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Erin Green

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Enaam Oudih

    (Relationships Australia, Adelaide, SA 5007, Australia)

  • Roheena Tahir

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Lillian Mwanri

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

Abstract

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 organisations providing services for migrants and/or refugees in South Australia using the snowball sampling technique. Thematic framework analysis was used to guide the data analysis. Key themes centred on personal factors (health literacy including knowledge and the understanding of the health system, and poor financial condition), structural factors related to difficulties in navigating the complexity of the health system and a lack of culturally aware service provision, sociocultural and religious factors, mental health stigma and discrimination. The findings provide an insight into the experiences of African migrants of service provision to them and offer suggestions on how to improve these migrants’ mental health outcomes in Australia. Overcoming barriers to accessing mental health services would need a wide range of strategies including education on mental health, recognising variations in cultures for effective service provision, and addressing mental health stigma and discrimination which strongly deter service access by these migrants. These strategies will facilitate help-seeking behaviours as well as effective provision of culturally safe MHSs and improvement in access to MHSs among African migrants.

Suggested Citation

  • Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Anna Ziersch & Hailay Gesesew & Paul Ward & Erin Green & Enaam Oudih & Roheena Tahir & Lillian Mwanri, 2021. "Migrants and Service Providers’ Perspectives of Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services in South Australia: A Case of African Migrants with a Refugee Background in South Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:8906-:d:620713
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/8906/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/8906/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Satinsky, Emily & Fuhr, Daniela C. & Woodward, Aniek & Sondorp, Egbert & Roberts, Bayard, 2019. "Mental health care utilisation and access among refugees and asylum seekers in Europe: A systematic review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(9), pages 851-863.
    2. Yulisha Byrow & Rosanna Pajak & Tadgh McMahon & Amitabh Rajouria & Angela Nickerson, 2019. "Barriers to Mental Health Help-Seeking Amongst Refugee Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Amanda Daluwatta & Kathryn Fletcher & Chris Ludlow & Ariane Virgona & Greg Murray, 2023. "A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Facilitators to Accessing and Utilising Mental Health Services amongst Sri Lankan Australians," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Lillian Mwanri & Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Anna Ziersch & Hailay Abrha Gesesew & Gregorius Abanit Asa & Paul Russell Ward, 2022. "Post-Migration Stressors and Mental Health for African Migrants in South Australia: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Qingjun Zhao & Meijing Song & Hanrui Wang, 2022. "Voting with Your Feet: The Impact of Urban Public Health Service Accessibility on the Permanent Migration Intentions of Rural Migrants in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Klimentina Krstanoska-Blazeska & Andre Renzaho & Ilse Blignault & Bingqin Li & Nicola Reavley & Shameran Slewa-Younan, 2023. "A Qualitative Exploration of Sources of Help for Mental Illness in Arabic-, Mandarin-, and Swahili-Speaking Communities in Sydney, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Hailay Abrha Gesesew & Alfonsa Liquory Seran & Christopher Raymond & Roheena Tahir & Paul Russell Ward, 2022. "Barriers to Accessing HIV Care Services in Host Low and Middle Income Countries: Views and Experiences of Indonesian Male Ex-Migrant Workers Living with HIV," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fatin Atrooz & Sally Mohammad Aljararwah & Tzuan A. Chen & Omar F. Khabour & Samina Salim, 2023. "Understanding Mental Health Status of Syrian Refugee and Jordanian Women: Novel Insights from a Comparative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Andrea Tortelli & Florence Perquier & Maria Melchior & François Lair & Fabien Encatassamy & Chloé Masson & Hélène K’ourio & Raphaël Gourevitch & Alain Mercuel, 2020. "Mental Health and Service Use of Migrants in Contact with the Public Psychiatry System in Paris," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Walther, Lena & Fuchs, Lukas M. & Schupp, Jürgen & Scheve, Christian von, 2020. "Living Conditions and the Mental Health and Well-being of Refugees : Evidence from a Large-Scale German Survey," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 22, pages 903-913.
    4. Meng Zheng & Feng Chen & Yan Pan & Di Kong & Andre M. N. Renzaho & Berhe W. Sahle & Rashidul Alam Mahumud & Li Ling & Wen Chen, 2022. "Trends and Impact Factors of Mental Health Service Utilization among Resettled Humanitarian Migrants in Australia: Findings from the BNLA Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Catharina Zehetmair & Valentina Zeyher & Anna Cranz & Beate Ditzen & Sabine C. Herpertz & Rupert Maria Kohl & Christoph Nikendei, 2021. "A Walk-In Clinic for Newly Arrived Mentally Burdened Refugees: The Patient Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, February.
    6. Ruth León-Pinilla & Ana Soto-Rubio & Vicente Prado-Gascó, 2020. "Support and Emotional Well-Being of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Grace Crowley, 2023. "Comment on ‘Time for hard choices – a new global order for mental health’: Why migrants should no longer be ignored," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(1), pages 233-234, February.
    8. Dorthe Varning Poulsen & Anna María Pálsdóttir & Sasja Iza Christensen & Lotta Wilson & Sigurd Wiingaard Uldall, 2020. "Therapeutic Nature Activities: A Step Toward the Labor Market for Traumatized Refugees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-19, October.
    9. Robert Doričić & Marcin Orzechowski & Marianne Nowak & Ivana Tutić Grokša & Katarzyna Bielińska & Anna Chowaniec & Mojca Ramšak & Paweł Łuków & Amir Muzur & Zvonka Zupanič-Slavec & Florian Steger, 2021. "Diversity Competency and Access to Healthcare in Hospitals in Croatia, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-14, November.
    10. Aarethun, V. & Sandal, G.M. & Guribye, E. & Markova, V. & Bye, H.H., 2021. "Explanatory models and help-seeking for symptoms of PTSD and depression among Syrian refugees," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    11. McDaid, David & Park, A-La, 2023. "Making an economic argument for investment in global mental health: the case of conflict-affected refugees and displaced people," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118149, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Eva Spiritus-Beerden & An Verelst & Ines Devlieger & Nina Langer Primdahl & Fábio Botelho Guedes & Antonio Chiarenza & Stephanie De Maesschalck & Natalie Durbeej & Rocío Garrido & Margarida Gaspar de , 2021. "Mental Health of Refugees and Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Experienced Discrimination and Daily Stressors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    13. Michaela Hynie & Annie Jaimes & Anna Oda & Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard & Laura Perez Gonzalez & Nicole Ives & Farah Ahmad & Ben C. H. Kuo & Neil Arya & Nimo Bokore & Kwame McKenzie, 2022. "Assessing Virtual Mental Health Access for Refugees during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using the Levesque Client-Centered Framework: What Have We Learned and How Will We Plan for the Future?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    14. Karin Hugelius & Maya Semrau & Marie Holmefur, 2020. "Perceived Needs Among Asylum Seekers in Sweden: A Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-10, July.
    15. Anna Leiler & Elisabet Wasteson & Joanna Holmberg & Anna Bjärtå, 2020. "A Pilot Study of a Psychoeducational Group Intervention Delivered at Asylum Accommodation Centers—A Mixed Methods Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Anu E. Castaneda & Katja Çilenti & Shadia Rask & Eero Lilja & Natalia Skogberg & Hannamaria Kuusio & Essi Salama & Jari Lahti & Marko Elovainio & Jaana Suvisaari & Seppo Koskinen & Päivikki Koponen, 2020. "Migrants Are Underrepresented in Mental Health and Rehabilitation Services—Survey and Register-Based Findings of Russian, Somali, and Kurdish Origin Adults in Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-19, August.
    17. Poyraz Fındık, Onur Tuğçe & Çeri, Veysi & Ünver, Hatice & Perdahlı Fiş, Neşe & Rodopman Arman, Ayşe & Beşer, Can & Fadıloğlu, Eray & Anagnostopoulos, Dimitris, 2021. "Mental health need and psychiatric service utilization patterns of refugee children in Turkey: A comparative study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    18. José Renkens & Els Rommes & Maria van den Muijsenbergh, 2022. "Refugees' Agency: On Resistance, Resilience, and Resources," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-16, January.
    19. Klimentina Krstanoska-Blazeska & Russell Thomson & Shameran Slewa-Younan, 2021. "Mental Illness Stigma and Associated Factors among Arabic-Speaking Religious and Community Leaders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-13, July.
    20. Nikendei, Christoph & Kindermann, David & Brandenburg-Ceynowa, Hannah & Derreza-Greeven, Cassandra & Zeyher, Valentina & Junne, Florian & Friederich, Hans-Christoph & Bozorgmehr, Kayvan, 2019. "Asylum seekers’ mental health and treatment utilization in a three months follow-up study after transfer from a state registration-and reception-center in Germany," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(9), pages 864-872.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:8906-:d:620713. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.