Measuring Distress Levels of Refugee Women to Enhance Community-Based Psycho-social Interventions

Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2019 Apr;40(4):310-316. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2018.1543744. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to gain an understanding of the levels of distress in resettled refugee women as a basis for the development of improved community based interventions to enhance the resettlement experience. A convenience sample of female refugees (n = 23) in a southern US city were interviewed using a socio-demographic questionnaire; the Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15); and semi-structured, exploratory questions. Results showed consistently high levels of distress, indicated by responses to the RHS-15. Women ages 19-25 and over 50 displayed the highest risk. Categories of stressors included a lack of access to health and psycho-social support services, difficulty with communicating in the English language, and social isolation. In addition, women reported that a lack of trained interpreters contributes to reduced access to health and social service, causing further distress.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Community Health Services / organization & administration*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Services Accessibility / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Qualitative Research
  • Refugees / psychology*
  • Social Isolation
  • Social Support
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / diagnosis
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Women / psychology*
  • Young Adult