Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2024
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The resettlement of Afghan refugees in Oklahoma City, OK, provides a critical context for examining the mental health challenges faced by this population due to post-migration stressors.
METHODS: This study utilized online surveys to recently resettled Afghan refugees in Oklahoma City, with support provided by bilingual research assistants to accommodate low literacy rates. Surveys, initially in English, were professionally translated into Dari and Pashto and validated through back-translation.
RESULTS: Participants (N = 348) were majority of Pashtun ethnicity. High rates of mental health issues were evident, with 62.1 % of participants screening positive for depression and 20.1 % for probable GAD. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lower pre-migration socioeconomic status (SES) and high post-migration stressors such as discrimination and loss of homeland were significantly associated with increased mental health problems. Stress related to the worry for and loss of their homeland was a substantial predictor of high distress (AOR = 2.71, p < 0.001), anxiety (AOR = 1.99, p = 0.001) and depression (AOR = 2.65, p<.001). Experiences of discrimination post-resettlement was also associated with anxiety (AOR 4.92, p < 0.001).
DISCUSSION: The findings highlight the profound impact of post-migration stressors on the mental health of Afghan refugees. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions to address the specific challenges faced by refugees, such as language barriers, employment, legal support, and anti-discrimination measures, to facilitate better integration and improve mental health outcomes.
CONCLUSION: Enhanced community integration programs and comprehensive support services are essential to mitigate the mental health challenges faced by Afghan refugees, suggesting a broader application for such approaches in similar resettlement contexts globally.
Recommended Citation
Sifat, Munjireen; Kenney, Sarah; Bekteshi, Venera; Chiang, Shawn; Ogunsanya, Motolani; Boozary, Laili; Alexander, Adam; and Kendzor, Darla, "The Association of Migration-Related Stress With Poor Mental Health Among Recently Resettled Afghan Refugees" (2024). Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers. Paper 279.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/medoncfp/279
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
PubMed ID
39634170
Language
English
Included in
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Migration Studies Commons, Oncology Commons, Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons
Comments
This article is the author's final published version in Journal of Migration and Health, Volume 10, 2024, Article number 100282.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100282.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s)