Kurdish Refugee Beliefs about Mental Health and Help-Seeking
A Community-Engaged Research Study in Tennessee
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15512494 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Leah Scholma Branam (0000-0002-5963-8565, Vanderbilt University, corresponding author), Ismail Yigit (Tennessee State University), Sipal Haji (0000-0002-4315-2704, Catholic Charities), Jennifer Clark (0000-0003-4008-5419, Catholic Charities), Jessica M Perkins (0000-0002-5475-8816, Vanderbilt University) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1224-1224 |
| Publication date | 2023-01-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/ijerph20021224 |
| PMID | 36673976 |
| OpenAlex | W4315650912 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 31 |
Refugee populations exhibit high rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, but are less likely to receive care than the general population. Perceptions among the Kurdish refugee community about causes and consequences of mental illness symptoms and perceived barriers to help-seeking are understudied. This community-engaged research study conducted in-depth interviews with Kurdish refugees from Iraq to explore their beliefs about drivers of mental illness and seeking help for mental health. Iterative thematic analysis of transcripts from ten participants indicated four key themes: (1) social network loss due to resettlement causes poor mental health; (2) socioeconomic status loss due to unrecognized professional qualifications puts strain on mental health; (3) social stigma about mental health and fears about disclosure of mental health issues within community and subsequent negative gossip prevent help-seeking; and (4) social interaction may alleviate mental illness symptoms. Overall, Kurdish refugees perceived social factors as major drivers of mental illness symptoms and barriers to help-seeking in their community. However, while participants believed that the general community attitude was against help-seeking, most participants personally expressed support of anyone in their community needing to see a mental health professional. Future research should assess the extent to which perceived community norms differ from aggregated personal help-seeking attitudes and behaviors among Kurdish refugees from Iraq in the United States
Anxiety · Distress · Environmental health · Family medicine · Help-seeking · Mental health · Mental illness · Population · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Refugee · Social stigma · Social support · Stigma (botany · Thematic analysis · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology
Age, gender, and the underutilization of mental health services
Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling
Prevalence of serious mental disorder in 7000 refugees resettled in western countries
Healthcare Barriers of Refugees Post-resettlement
Perceptions of mental health and perceived barriers to mental health help-seeking amongst refugees
The contemporary refugee crisis
Barriers to Health Care Access among Refugee Asylum Seekers
A practical guide to reflexivity in qualitative research
Prevalence of Chronic Disease and Insurance Coverage among Refugees in the United States
Physical and Mental Health Status of Iraqi Refugees Resettled in the United States
Social-capital-based mental health interventions for refugees
Correlates of Depression among Older Kurdish Refugees
Listening to refugees
Stressors and Barriers to Using Mental Health Services Among Diverse Groups of First-Generation Immigrants to the United States
War exposure, daily stressors, and mental health in conflict and post-conflict settings
Emerging paradigms in the mental health care of refugees
It is the hardest to keep
Flexible Coding of In-depth Interviews
Addressing the Invisible Affliction
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |