Factors Shaping the Lived Experience of Resettlement for Former Refugees in Regional Australia

Laura Smith, Ha Hoang, Tamara Reynish, Kim McLeod, Chona Hannah, Stuart Auckland, Shameran Slewa-Younan and Jonathan Mond
Additional contact information
Laura Smith: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Ha Hoang: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Tamara Reynish: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Kim McLeod: School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Chona Hannah: School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Stuart Auckland: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Shameran Slewa-Younan: Translational Health Research Institute and School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
Jonathan Mond: Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: Refugees experience traumatic life events with impacts amplified in regional and rural areas due to barriers accessing services. This study examined the factors influencing the lived experience of resettlement for former refugees in regional Launceston, Australia, including environmental, social, and health-related factors. Qualitative interviews and focus groups were conducted with adult and youth community members from Burma, Bhutan, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Iran, and Sudan, and essential service providers ( n = 31). Thematic analysis revealed four factors as primarily influencing resettlement: English language proficiency; employment, education and housing environments and opportunities; health status and service access; and broader social factors and experiences. Participants suggested strategies to overcome barriers associated with these factors and improve overall quality of life throughout resettlement. These included flexible English language program delivery and employment support, including industry-specific language courses; the provision of interpreters; community events fostering cultural sharing, inclusivity and promoting well-being; and routine inclusion of nondiscriminatory, culturally sensitive, trauma-informed practices throughout a former refugee’s environment, including within education, employment, housing and service settings.

Keywords: refugees; resettlement; lived experience; social environment; refugee health; public health; quality of life; health services; housing; qualitative research; regional and rural Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/2/501/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/2/501/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:2:p:501-:d:308297

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().