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Exploring Social and Financial Hardship, Mental Health Problems and the Role of Social Support in Asylum Seekers Using Structural Equation Modelling

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  • Mathilde Sengoelge

    (Department of Health Sciences, Red Cross University College, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden)

  • Øivind Solberg

    (Department of Health Sciences, Red Cross University College, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Division for Implementation and Treatment Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, 0484 Oslo, Norway)

  • Alexander Nissen

    (Department of Health Sciences, Red Cross University College, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Division for Implementation and Treatment Research, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, 0484 Oslo, Norway)

  • Fredrik Saboonchi

    (Department of Health Sciences, Red Cross University College, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Asylum seekers are exposed to a range of social and financial difficulties suggested to adversely impact mental health. Uprooted social networks and living conditions during the asylum seeking process potentially predispose this population to low access to social support. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social and financial hardship and mental health problems, and assess the potential mediating role of social support among asylum seekers. Cross sectional survey data from a cohort of asylum seekers in Sweden (N = 455) were subjected to structural equation modelling for examining hypothesized pathways between social and financial hardship, common mental health problems (CMHPs) and social support. Fit indices showed adequate to excellent fit of the examined models with CMHPs as the outcome (all CFI ≥ 0.951, RMSEA < 0.05, SRMR < 0.056). CMHPs were positively regressed on social and financial hardship (B = 0.786, S = 0.102, p < 0.001) and negatively regressed on social support (B = −0.103, SE = 0.032, p = 0.001). Social support mediated the association between social and financial hardship and CMHPs (effect estimate = 0.075, 95% CI = 0.032–0.136). The results point to the importance of social and living conditions of asylum seekers and indicate that social support is both socially patterned and may act as a mitigating resource to inform interventions and policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathilde Sengoelge & Øivind Solberg & Alexander Nissen & Fredrik Saboonchi, 2020. "Exploring Social and Financial Hardship, Mental Health Problems and the Role of Social Support in Asylum Seekers Using Structural Equation Modelling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:6948-:d:417847
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Øivind Solberg & Mathilde Sengoelge & Alexander Nissen & Fredrik Saboonchi, 2021. "Coping in Limbo? The Moderating Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship between Post-Migration Stress and Well-Being during the Asylum-Seeking Process," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.

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