STAT (3/29, Deng, Huh) reports that Afghan refugees are struggling with “grief, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder after living through war and having to leave their homes.” Even though “there are mental health resources available to Afghan refugees – who were recently granted temporary protected status in the U.S. – there are significant barriers to accessing that care.” Additionally, experts say that “providing mental health services is more challenging for Afghans” because of cultural factors and “a ‘mismatch’ between Western and Afghan ways of thinking about mental health.” Language barriers also pose a formidable problem. The article adds that “past reports from the American Psychiatric Association suggest very few refugees in the U.S. are referred for” mental healthcare.
Related Links:
— “Afghan refugees, grappling with grief and trauma, face barriers to mental health care ” Grace Deng and Jenny Jiin Huh, STAT, March 29, 2022