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Access to Refugee and Migrant Mental Health Care Services during the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Canadian Refugee Clinician Survey

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  • Joseph Benjamen

    (Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
    C.T. Lamont Primary Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, 85 Primrose Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada)

  • Vincent Girard

    (Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada)

  • Shabana Jamani

    (Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
    C.T. Lamont Primary Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, 85 Primrose Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada)

  • Olivia Magwood

    (C.T. Lamont Primary Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, 85 Primrose Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada
    Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave. E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada)

  • Tim Holland

    (Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, 1465 Brenton St, Suite 402, Halifax, NS B3J 3T4, Canada)

  • Nazia Sharfuddin

    (Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, 11350-83 Ave, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada)

  • Kevin Pottie

    (C.T. Lamont Primary Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, 85 Primrose Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada
    Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Cres, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
    Institut du Savoir Montfort, 713 Montreal Rd, Ottawa, ON K1K 0T2, Canada)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the mental health of refugees and migrants. This study aimed to assess refugee clinician perspectives on mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically access to and delivery of community mental health care services. We utilized a mixed methods design. We surveyed members of a national network of Canadian clinicians caring for refugees and migrants. Seventy-seven clinicians with experience caring for refugee populations, representing an 84% response rate, participated in the online survey, 11 of whom also participated in semi-structured interviews. We report three major themes: exacerbation of mental health issues and inequities in social determinants of health, and decreased access to integrated primary care and community migrant services. Clinicians reported major challenges delivering care during the first 6 months of the pandemic related to access to care and providing virtual care. Clinicians described perspectives on improving the management of refugee mental health, including increasing access to community resources and virtual care. The majority of clinicians reported that technology-assisted psychotherapy appears feasible to arrange, acceptable and may increase health equity for their refugee patients. However, major limitations of virtual care included technological barriers, communication and global mental health issues, and privacy concerns. In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social and health inequities within refugee and migrant populations in Canada and challenged the way mental health care is traditionally delivered. However, the pandemic has provided new avenues for the delivery of care virtually, albeit not without additional and unique barriers.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph Benjamen & Vincent Girard & Shabana Jamani & Olivia Magwood & Tim Holland & Nazia Sharfuddin & Kevin Pottie, 2021. "Access to Refugee and Migrant Mental Health Care Services during the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Canadian Refugee Clinician Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:10:p:5266-:d:555281
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matt Driedger & Alain Mayhew & Vivian Welch & Eric Agbata & Doug Gruner & Christina Greenaway & Teymur Noori & Monica Sandu & Thierry Sangou & Christine Mathew & Harneel Kaur & Manish Pareek & Kevin P, 2018. "Accessibility and Acceptability of Infectious Disease Interventions Among Migrants in the EU/EEA: A CERQual Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Douglas Gruner & Olivia Magwood & Lissa Bair & Liezl Duff & Shiva Adel & Kevin Pottie, 2020. "Understanding Supporting and Hindering Factors in Community-Based Psychotherapy for Refugees: A Realist-Informed Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-27, June.
    3. Iffath Unissa Syed, 2016. "Labor Exploitation and Health Inequities Among Market Migrants: A Political Economy Perspective," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 449-465, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nazeem Muhajarine & Daniel A. Adeyinka & Vaidehi Pisolkar & Md Sabbir Ahmed & Natalie Kallio & Vithusha Coomaran & Tom McIntosh & Nuelle Novik & Bonnie Jeffery, 2022. "Equity Analysis of Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey Data on Mental Health Outcomes in Saskatchewan, Canada during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Georgina Pujolar & Aida Oliver-Anglès & Ingrid Vargas & María-Luisa Vázquez, 2022. "Changes in Access to Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-31, February.
    3. Krystallidou, Demi & Temizöz, Özlem & Wang, Fang & de Looper, Melanie & Maria, Emilio Di & Gattiglia, Nora & Giani, Stefano & Hieke, Graham & Morganti, Wanda & Pace, Cecilia Serena & Schouten, Barbara, 2024. "Communication in refugee and migrant mental healthcare: A systematic rapid review on the needs, barriers and strategies of seekers and providers of mental health services," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Olivia Magwood & Azaad Kassam & Dorsa Mavedatnia & Oreen Mendonca & Ammar Saad & Hafsa Hasan & Maria Madana & Dominique Ranger & Yvonne Tan & Kevin Pottie, 2022. "Mental Health Screening Approaches for Resettling Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-41, March.
    5. Maria Caterina Gargano & Dean Ajduković & Maša Vukčević Marković, 2022. "Mental Health in the Transit Context: Evidence from 10 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-18, March.

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