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Linguistic and cultural barriers to access and utilization of mental health care for Farsi-speaking newcomers in Quebec

Fahimeh Mianji (Department of Psychiatry, Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada and Culture and Mental Health Research Unit, Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada)
Jann Tomaro (Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada)
Laurence J. Kirmayer (Department of Psychiatry, Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada and Culture and Mental Health Research Unit, Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada)

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care

ISSN: 1747-9894

Article publication date: 10 December 2020

Issue publication date: 10 December 2020

387

Abstract

Purpose

In light of the growing number of refugees and immigrants in Canada, this paper aims to identify barriers to mental health services for newcomer immigrants and refugees in Quebec and to examine how mental health services can be improved for these populations.

Design/methodology/approach

In this qualitative study, semi-structured individual interviews with Farsi-speaking health professionals and focus group interviews with participants from community organizations in Quebec were conducted.

Findings

Participants, both health-care professionals and community members, reported that mental health services are not readily accessible to Farsi-speaking immigrants and refugees. Structural barriers, language barriers, cultural safety and stigma were identified as obstacles to accessing care. Recommended strategies for improving access to mental health care are discussed.

Originality/value

Multiple studies have found that language and cultural barriers are associated with health inequalities and under-utilization of mental health services among linguistic and ethnic minorities. However, there are limited data on many groups and contexts, and a need to better understand how language barriers affect health outcomes, service utilization, patient satisfaction or overall costs to the health system or to society. In response to this gap, the present study explores how access to mental health services for Farsi-speaking newcomers may be limited by structural and linguistic barriers and cultural differences and as well as to identify strategies that can reduce the identified barriers.

Abstrait

Objet

Compte tenu du nombre croissant de réfugiés et d'immigrants au Canada, cette étude vise à identifier les obstacles aux services de santé mentale pour les nouveaux arrivants immigrants et réfugiés au Québec et à examiner comment les services de santé mentale peuvent être améliorés pour ces populations.

Conception/méthodologie/approche

Dans cette étude qualitative, des entretiens individuels semi-structurés avec professionnels de la santé parlant le Farsi et entretiens avec des participants des organisations communautaires au Québec ont été menées.

Résultats

Les participants, tant des professionnels de la santé que des membres de la communauté, ont déclaré que les services de santé mentale sont inaccessibles aux immigrants et réfugiés parlant le Farsi. Obstacles structurels, les barrières linguistiques, la sécurité culturelle et la stigmatisation ont été identifiées comme des obstacles à l'accès aux soins. Les stratégies recommandées pour améliorer l'accès aux soins de santé mentale sont discutées.

Originalité/valeur

De nombreuses études ont montré que les barrières linguistiques et culturelles sont associées à les inégalités en matière de santé et la sous-utilisation des services de santé mentale chez les minorités linguistiques et ethniques. Cependant, les données sont limitées sur de nombreux groupes et contextes, et il est nécessaire de mieux comprendre comment les barrières linguistiques ont une incidence sur les résultats de santé, l'utilisation des services, la satisfaction des patients ou les coûts globaux pour le système de santé ou à la société. En réponse à cet écarte, la présente étude examine comment l'accès aux services de santé mentale pour les nouveaux arrivants parlant le farsi peuvent être limités par des barrières structurelles et linguistiques et des différences culturelles, ainsi que d'identifier les stratégies de réduire les obstacles identifiés.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by a grant from the McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy, Health Care Access for Linguistic Minorities Network. We would like to thank Daria Khadir and Sahar Fazeli for their contributions to the fieldwork as well as the Farsi-speaking health-care professionals and community members in Montreal who shared their experiences.Competing interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Citation

Mianji, F., Tomaro, J. and Kirmayer, L.J. (2020), "Linguistic and cultural barriers to access and utilization of mental health care for Farsi-speaking newcomers in Quebec", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 495-510. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-08-2019-0074

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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