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Using a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Study the Mental Health of Older Adults with a Refugee Life Experience

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  • Rochelle L. Frounfelker

    (Department of Population Health, College of Health, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA)

  • Puja Thapa

    (Department of Population Health, College of Health, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA)

  • Tej Mishra

    (Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA 17112, USA)

Abstract

Older adults with a refugee life experience have a disproportionate burden of mental health problems compared to non-refugee aging populations. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a promising approach to identify the challenges and strengths of older refugee adults and identify solutions to mental health disparities. We present a case study of one such CBPR program of research with older ethnic Nepali Bhutanese adults resettled in North America, Project Bhalakushari. We highlight the many opportunities to integrate older adults and members of the broader Bhutanese community in activities throughout the research process, starting with forming academic–community partnerships, identifying the needs and strengths of the community, conducting research, and sharing study findings with a broad audience of community members, health practitioners, policy-makers, and academics. Our case study emphasizes that a successful, culturally informed partnership should consider the involvement of the entire community, regardless of age, in the initiative to secure buy-in and support and maximize the positive impact of the work. We identify concrete strategies to overcome challenges specific to conducting research, with a focus on recruitment, outreach, and data collection.

Suggested Citation

  • Rochelle L. Frounfelker & Puja Thapa & Tej Mishra, 2025. "Using a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Study the Mental Health of Older Adults with a Refugee Life Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(8), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:8:p:1303-:d:1728383
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Betancourt, T.S. & Frounfelker, R. & Mishra, T. & Hussein, A. & Falzarano, R., 2015. "Addressing health disparities in the mental health of refugee children and adolescents through community-based participatory research: A study in 2 communities," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105, pages 475-482.
    2. Shen (Lamson) Lin & Markus Schafer, 2023. "Inequities in Mental Health Care Facing Racialized Immigrant Older Adults With Mental Disorders Despite Universal Coverage: A Population-Based Study in Canada," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 78(9), pages 1555-1571.
    3. Hongmei Tong & Yu Lung & Shen (Lamson) Lin & Karen M Kobayashi & Karen M Davison & Senyo Agbeyaka & Esme Fuller-Thomson, 2021. "Refugee status is associated with double the odds of psychological distress in mid-to-late life: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(6), pages 747-760, September.
    4. Sarah Elizabeth Neville & Kira DiClemente-Bosco & Lila K. Chamlagai & Mary Bunn & Jordan Freeman & Jenna M. Berent & Bhuwan Gautam & Abdirahman Abdi & Theresa S. Betancourt, 2022. "Investigating Outcomes of a Family Strengthening Intervention for Resettled Somali Bantu and Bhutanese Refugees: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.
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