Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 8(2), pp. 57 - 64
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2020.080202
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Addressing Mental Health Stigmas among Refugees: A Narrative Review from a Socio-Ecological Perspective

Huaibo Xin ^*
Department of Applied Health, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA

ABSTRACT

Mental health stigmas have been predominantly prevalent among different refugee populations resettled in both western and non-western countries. It significantly affects refugees' mental healthcare seeking behaviors. The current narrative review is to examine the anti-stigma strategies/interventions/programs that specifically address refugees' mental health stigma. Twenty-six out of 711 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, commentaries, reports, dissertations, and theses published in 2019 or prior in English were included in the final themes analysis. Results were organized using a socio-ecological multilevel framework (intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy levels), which include increasing refugee individuals' awareness of mental health and improving their attitudes and perceptions towards mental disorders; enhancing interpersonal interactions between refugee patients and people who can encourage them to seek mental healthcare and can provide them with culturally competent mental health services; delivering mental healthcare through schools and ethnic organizations; developing community-based bottom-up interventions and mobilizing community assets to destigmatize and normalize mental illnesses within refugee communities; and advocating for a change of social norm towards mental illnesses and mental health treatment. There is a significant lack of studies designed to explore the effectiveness of anti-stigma approaches among refugees, which leads to an urgency of developing these studies and supporting evidence-based practice.

KEYWORDS
Stigma, Refugees, Mental Health, Socio-Ecological Model

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Huaibo Xin , "Addressing Mental Health Stigmas among Refugees: A Narrative Review from a Socio-Ecological Perspective," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 57 - 64, 2020. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2020.080202.

(b). APA Format:
Huaibo Xin (2020). Addressing Mental Health Stigmas among Refugees: A Narrative Review from a Socio-Ecological Perspective. Universal Journal of Public Health, 8(2), 57 - 64. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2020.080202.