Background: Despite high prevalence of mental problems among elderly migrants in The Netherlands, the use of psychosocial care services by this group is low. Scientific evidence points at the crucial role of social support for mental health and the use of psychosocial services. We therefore explored the role of social networks in the access to psychosocial care among elderly migrants in The Netherlands. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured group interviews and individual interviews. The eight group and eleven individual interviews (respectively n = 58 and n = 11) were conducted in The Netherlands with Turkish, Moroccan, Surinamese, and Dutch elderly. The data were analysed through coding and comparing fragments and recognizing patterns. Results: Support of the social network is important to navigate to psychosocial care and is most frequently provided by children. However, the social network of elderly migrants is generally not able to meet the needs of the elderly. This is mostly due to poor mental health literacy of the social network, taboo, and stigma around mental illness and the busy lives of the social network members. Conclusions: Strategies to address help-seeking barriers should consider mental health literacy in elderly migrants as well as their social networks, and counteract taboos and stigma of mental health problems. © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Access to health services Ethnic minority Ageing and diversity Diversity health care provision social network Elderly migrants health equity

Netherlands immigrant Dutchman elderly care pattern recognition mental health service mental health human middle aged Ethnic Groups statistics and numerical data ethnic group controlled study social network Aged social support Mental Health Services psychosocial care qualitative research Mental Disorders mental disease Humans migrant psychology Suriname psychological interview male semi structured interview female qualitative analysis Social Stigma health services Article health care service provision major clinical study adult migration health care access Turkey Transients and Migrants Surinamese Moroccan geriatric care health literacy ethnic minority Turkish citizen Health Services Accessibility Morocco health care delivery