The meaning of health among newly arrived immigrants : A qualitative study from stakeholders’ perspectives

• Good health is a prerequisite for individuals to function in everyday life. The same applies to newly arrived immigrants, where good health is crucial for successful establishment. The aim of this study was to describe stakeholders’ experiences of how newly arrived immigrants’ health affects their opportunities to establish themselves in society. The study had a qualitative design where open-ended questions were analysed following Braun and Clarke’s guidelines for conducting a qualitative thematic analysis. The results consist of three themes: Mental health problems, disabilities, and tormenting concerns about absent family members; A precarious life situation related to housing, education, and income; and Deficiencies in responding to health challenges in organisations and in society. Stakeholders face health problems among newly arrived immigrants that they do not have the right skills to deal with. We argue for the presence of nurses in organisations working with newly arrived immigrants, and that nurses’ competence is necessary to capture their needs.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

health

newly arrived immigrants

social participation

stakeholders

thematic qualitative analysis

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)