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Structural and socio-cultural barriers to accessing mental healthcare among Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland.

  • Kiselev N Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Pfaltz M Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Haas F Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Schick M Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Kappen M Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Sijbrandij M Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Public Health Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • De Graaff AM Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Public Health Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Bird M Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Hansen P Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Ventevogel P Public Health Section, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Fuhr DC Faculty of Public Health and Policy, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
  • Schnyder U University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Morina N Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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  • 2020-03-05
Published in:
  • European journal of psychotraumatology. - 2020
Mental healthcare services
Switzerland
Syrian refugees and asylum seekers
barriers
qualitative study
refugee mental health
• Barriers to mental health care specific for Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland were explored in a qualitative study.• Findings show that Syrian refugees and asylum seekers face multiple barriers such as language, gatekeeper associated problems, lack of resources, lack of awareness, fear of stigma and a mismatch between the local health system and perceived needs of Syrian refugees and asylum seekers.• The results of the study confirm previous research findings and show that the barriers to accessing mental healthcare for refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland still exist and have not improved over years and decades.
English Background: Due to their experiences of major stressful life events, including post-displacement stressors, refugees and asylum seekers are vulnerable to developing mental health problems. Yet, despite the availability of specialized mental health services in Western European host countries, refugees and asylum seekers display low mental healthcare utilization. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore structural and socio-cultural barriers to accessing mental healthcare among Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland. Method: In this qualitative study, key-informant (KI) interviews with Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, Swiss healthcare providers and other stakeholders (e.g. refugee coordinators or leaders) were conducted in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed, and then analysed using thematic analysis, combining deductive and inductive coding. Results: Findings show that Syrian refugees and asylum seekers face multiple structural and socio-cultural barriers, with socio-cultural barriers being perceived as more pronounced. Syrian key informants, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders identified language, gatekeeper-associated problems, lack of resources, lack of awareness, fear of stigma and a mismatch between the local health system and perceived needs of Syrian refugees and asylum seekers as key barriers to accessing care. Conclusions: The results show that for Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland several barriers exist. This is in line with previous findings. A possible solution for the current situation might be to increase the agility of the service system in general and to improve the willingness to embrace innovative paths, rather than adapting mental healthcare services regarding single barriers and needs of a new target population.
Language
  • English
Open access status
gold
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Persistent URL
https://sonar.rero.ch/global/documents/7189
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