Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies
Volume 17, Issue 2, 2019, Pages 204-221

Intrigues of Accessing Mental Health Services Among Urban Refugees Living in Kenya: The Case of Somali Refugees Living in Eastleigh, Nairobi (Article)

Mutiso V. , Warsame A.H. , Bosire E. , Musyimi C. , Musau A. , Isse M.M. , Ndetei D.M.*
  • a Africa Mental Health Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
  • b Department - medicine, Tawakal Medical Clinic, Nairobi, Kenya
  • c Africa Mental Health Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
  • d Africa Mental Health Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya, Department - Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • e Africa Mental Health Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
  • f Department - medicine, Tawakal Medical Clinic, Nairobi, Kenya
  • g Africa Mental Health Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

This article explores the perceived mental-health-care access barriers affecting the resettled refugee population in Eastleigh, Kenya. Findings suggest that the main barriers to accessing mental health care are cultural and religious beliefs, inadequate health services, culture-insensitive mental health services, poverty, language barriers, stigma, and discrimination. This study recommends that it is important to integrate Somalis' indigenous methods of treatment of mental illnesses into Western methods of treatment in Kenya to provide a wide spectrum of mental help to refugees. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Author Keywords

Barriers Primary health care Somali refugees Mental health care Access Kenya

Index Keywords

accessibility refugee Kenya language cultural relations Nairobi [Kenya] religion health services poverty mental health primary health care
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85044260458&doi=10.1080%2f15562948.2018.1433904&partnerID=40&md5=ffe099339a9838a9f01c4418cb17a4f0
DOI: 10.1080/15562948.2018.1433904
ISSN: 15562948
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English