Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 20, Issue 2, 2018, Pages 388-398

Evaluating a Mental Health Program for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon (Article)

Yassin N. , Taha A.A.* , Ghantous Z. , Atoui M.M. , Forgione F.
  • a Health Management and Policy Department, American University of Beirut, Bierut, Lebanon
  • b California State University - Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States, School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, 3455 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • c Médecins Sans Frontières – Lebanon, Clemenceau Street, Bierut, Lebanon
  • d Department of Psychiatry, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Bierut, Lebanon
  • e Médecins Sans Frontières, Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Medecins sans Frontière, an international non-governmental organization, initiated a mental health program for Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon. To evaluate the impact of the program after its completion, focus groups were conducted with three target groups: (1) patients, (2) staff, and (3) local community stakeholders. Participants voiced overall satisfaction with the program. The program provided easy access, good quality care, decreased stigma, as perceived by participants, and revealed a sense of community contentedness. In addition, several short-term outcomes were achieved, such as increasing the numbers of patients visiting the center/ receiving mental health treatment. However, lack of planning for sustainability and proper procedures for hand-over of the program constituted a major downfall. Program discontinuation posed ethical dilemmas, common in provisional interventions in underprivileged refugee communities. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

Non-governmental organization (NGO) Program evaluation Medecins sans Frontières (MSF) Refugee community Mental health program Lebanon Sustainability

Index Keywords

refugee mental health service mental health human epidemiology Refugees middle aged statistics and numerical data Arab Mental Health Services ethnology Arabs Lebanon Humans psychology male female refugee camp patient satisfaction Refugee Camps Social Stigma organization and management adult health care quality Quality of Health Care Health Services Accessibility health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85029497437&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-017-0657-6&partnerID=40&md5=40346bb07ddbace4585e7b355833fb9b
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0657-6
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English