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Intrigues of Accessing Mental Health Services Among Urban Refugees Living in Kenya: The Case of Somali Refugees Living in Eastleigh, Nairobi

  • Victoria Mutiso
  • , Abdulkadir Hussein Warsame
  • , Edna Bosire
  • , Christine Musyimi
  • , Abednego Musau
  • , Maimuna Mohamud Isse
  • , David M. Ndetei

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This article explores the perceived mental-health-care access barriers affecting the resettled refugee population in Eastleigh, Kenya. Findings suggest that the main barriers to accessing mental health care are cultural and religious beliefs, inadequate health services, culture-insensitive mental health services, poverty, language barriers, stigma, and discrimination. This study recommends that it is important to integrate Somalis' indigenous methods of treatment of mental illnesses into Western methods of treatment in Kenya to provide a wide spectrum of mental help to refugees.

Original languageEnglish (UK)
Pages (from-to)204-221
Number of pages18
JournalJournal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies
Volume17
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Apr 2019
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
  2. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

  • Kenya
  • Somali refugees
  • access
  • barriers
  • mental health care
  • primary health care

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