Abstracts
Abstract
Very little information exists about the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees who are men who have sex with men (MSM). Therefore, this study explores the psychological distress of MSM asylum seekers and refugees in the Nairobi metropolitan area. We collected data using in-depth interviews transcribed verbatim, coded using NVivo 12 Plus, and analyzed using the six-step thematic analysis framework. Four major themes emerged from the study: psychological distress, traumatic stress symptoms, mental health care access, and coping strategies. Although we did not use any diagnoses, the results indicate that MSM asylum seekers and refugees share mental health problems with other refugees. However, MSM have specific needs that derive from their persecution based on their sexual minority status. The results confirm extant findings, as seen in the discussion, and encourage more research. Further research will inform collaborative, culturally sensitive, and targeted interventions that decrease adverse mental health outcomes for MSM asylum seekers and refugees in the Nairobi metropolitan area.
Keywords:
- MSM asylum seekers,
- MSM refugees,
- mental health
Résumé
Peu d'informations existent sur le vécu des demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés qui sont des hommes ayant des relations sexuelles avec des hommes (). Par conséquent, cette étude explore la détresse psychologique des demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés dans la région métropolitaine de Nairobi. Nous avons procédé à la collecte de données en effectuant des entretiens approfondis dont les verbatims retranscrits ont été codés à l’aide de Plus 12, puis analysés suivant une analyse thématique en six étapes. Quatre thèmes principaux émergent de cette la détresse psychologique, les symptômes de stress post-traumatique, l’accès aux services de santé mentale et les stratégies d’adaptation. Bien que nous n’ayons utilisé aucun diagnostic, les résultats indiquent que les demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés partagent des problèmes de santé mentale avec d’autres réfugiés. Les ont cependant des besoins spécifiques qui découlent de leur persécution sur la base de leur appartenance à une minorité sexuelle. Ces résultats confirment ceux des travaux existants, comme le démontre la discussion, et appellent à davantage de recherches. Des recherches plus approfondies contribueront à l’élaboration d’interventions collaboratives, culturellement adaptées et ciblées afin de réduire les effets néfastes sur la santé mentale des demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés dans la région métropolitaine de Nairobi.
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