Refugees and GPs have more in common in their ideas about the relationship between worries and ill health than some GPs tend to think. This is one of the conclusions of a qualitative study based on interviews with refugees from Afghanistan and Somalia living in Dutch communities, and with GPs providing care to refugees. GPs mention the presentation of 'stress-related physical symptoms' as a striking characteristic of the illnesses with which their refugee patients present. Refugees fear prejudice and stereotyping by GPs, whereas doctors feel frustrated that refugees fail to comprehend the explanations given by the GPs. In the analysis of the interviews a 'general narrative' in the refugee communities with overall negative content is distinguished from more varied personal narratives. Medical errors as experienced by known and trusted third parties constituted the hard core of the 'general narrative'. Early investment in building a relationship based on trust is essential for working with refugees in general practice.

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doctor patient relation Netherlands Somalia patient care Afghanistan refugee anamnesis qualitative research Article clinical feature human physician medical error