Issues in Mental Health Nursing
Volume 32, Issue 5, 2011, Pages 279-290

If i was going to kill myself, i Wouldn't be calling you. i am asking for help: Challenges influencing immigrant and refugee women's mental health (Article)

Donnelly T.T. , Hwang J.J. , Este D. , Ewashen C. , Adair C. , Clinton M.
  • a University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada
  • b University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • c University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • d University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • e University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • f University of Calgary, Faculty of Nursing, Calgary, AB, Canada

Abstract

It is estimated that 37% of Canadians experience some types of mental health problem. As a result of the migration process, many immigrant and refugee women suffer serious mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide, and psychosis. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study, informed by the ecological conceptual framework and postcolonial feminist perspectives, was to increase understanding of the mental health care experiences of immigrant and refugee women by acquiring information regarding factors that either support or inhibit coping. Ten women (five born in China and five born in Sudan) who were living with mental illness were interviewed. Analysis revealed that (a) women's personal experience with biomedicine, fear, and lack of awareness about mental health issues influences how they seek help to manage mental illness; (b) lack of appropriate services that suit their needs are barriers for these women to access mental health care; and (c) the women often draw upon informal support systems and practices and self-care strategies to cope with their mental illnesses and its related problems. The authors discuss implications for practice and make recommendations for intervention strategies that will facilitate women's mental health care and future research. © 2011 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Needs Assessment health service Emigrants and Immigrants female Humans adult refugee mental health service Mental Health Services psychological aspect Women's Health Services Mental Disorders Article mental disease human Suicide Refugees migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79956200802&doi=10.3109%2f01612840.2010.550383&partnerID=40&md5=e39b5524f08cd26ae7fe99c9874d9290
DOI: 10.3109/01612840.2010.550383
ISSN: 01612840
Cited by: 46
Original Language: English