Posselt Miriam, Procter Nicholas, de Crespigny Charlotte, Galletly Cherrie
PhD Candidate, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
Professor, Mental Health Nursing, University of South Australia, SA, Australia.
Australas Psychiatry. 2015 Jun;23(3):293-9. doi: 10.1177/1039856215584512. Epub 2015 May 5.
This research aimed to identify challenges encountered by young people from refugee backgrounds with co-existing mental health (MH) and alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems (comorbidity) and sought to compare the perspectives of refugee youth and service providers in a metropolitan region of Adelaide, South Australia.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two groups of participants: young people from refugee backgrounds (African, Afghan, Bhutanese) and workers from MH, AOD and refugee support services.
The refugee youth reported that the biggest difficulty they face once they develop MH and AOD problems is social disconnectedness. They lacked awareness that services are available to support them. In contrast, clinicians rated difficulty accessing and receiving culturally competent comorbidity care as the greatest challenge. Other reported challenges were relatively consistent across both groups.
This study has implications for how we engage these young people in services, prioritise areas of care and effectively treat and support refugee youth experiencing comorbidity. These findings emphasise the need for a combined therapeutic casework approach, addressing needs such as social connectedness, housing, education and employment.
本研究旨在确定有心理健康（MH）问题以及酒精和其他药物（AOD）问题（共病）的难民背景年轻人所面临的挑战，并比较南澳大利亚阿德莱德大都市地区难民青年和服务提供者的观点。
对两组参与者进行了半结构化访谈：有难民背景的年轻人（非洲、阿富汗、不丹）以及心理健康、酒精和其他药物及难民支持服务的工作人员。
难民青年报告称，一旦出现心理健康和酒精及其他药物问题，他们面临的最大困难是社会脱节。他们不知道有可用的服务来支持他们。相比之下，临床医生认为获得和接受具有文化能力的共病护理困难是最大的挑战。两组报告的其他挑战相对一致。
本研究对我们如何让这些年轻人参与服务、确定护理重点领域以及有效治疗和支持患有共病的难民青年具有启示意义。这些发现强调需要采用综合治疗个案工作方法，解决社会联系、住房、教育和就业等需求。
