Community-based approaches to refugee mental health in Philadelphia

As refugees are forcibly, often violently, displaced from their homes, they face significant psychological, social, and cultural challenges that have a significant impact on mental health during resettlement. As part of a citywide interdisciplinary refugee mental health collaborative, we conducted a rapid mental health needs assessment with local social service, mental health, and medical providers. In partnership with Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia, we also completed a Photovoice project with refugees in order to identify key determinants of mental health among Iraqi, Burmese, and Bhutanese refugee communities in Philadelphia. Using a community-based participatory research approach, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 12 refugee health providers and completed a Photovoice project with 18 Iraqi, Burmese, and Bhutanese refugees. Three researchers independently coded the qualitative data, identified major themes, and resolved differences through discussion and consensus. The major themes identified by both provider and refugee participants were community, safety, economic concerns, culture, education, environment, employment, transportation, loss, family, and health. To date, the results the Photovoice project have been publicly exhibited to an audience of over 10,000 viewers. The results of this research are currently being used to improve refugee mental health screening, inform the development of culturally appropriate community-based mental health programming, and increase access to mental health services for refugee resettlement communities in Philadelphia. In addition, this research has also provided the foundation for innovative community-academic partnerships in which resettled refugees have a powerful voice in identifying and advocating for health issues important to their communities.