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Factors shaping the lived experience of resettlement for former refugees in regional Australia
Citation
Smith, L and Hoang, Ha and Reynish, T and McLeod, K and Hannah, C and Auckland, S and Slewa-Younan, S and Mond, J, Factors shaping the lived experience of resettlement for former refugees in regional Australia, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, (2) Article 501. ISSN 1661-7827 (2020) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2020 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
DOI: doi:10.3390/ijerph17020501
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.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | refugees, resettlement lived experience, social environment, refugee health, public health, quality of life, health services, housing, qualitative research, regional and rural Australia |
| Research Division: | Human Society |
| Research Group: | Demography |
| Research Field: | Migration |
| Objective Division: | Law, Politics and Community Services |
| Objective Group: | Community services |
| Objective Field: | Multicultural services |
| UTAS Author: | Smith, L (Mrs Laura Grattidge) |
| UTAS Author: | Hoang, Ha (Dr Ha Hoang) |
| UTAS Author: | Reynish, T (Ms Tamara Reynish) |
| UTAS Author: | McLeod, K (Dr Kim McLeod) |
| UTAS Author: | Hannah, C (Dr Chona Hannah) |
| UTAS Author: | Auckland, S (Mr Stuart Auckland) |
| ID Code: | 137887 |
| Year Published: | 2020 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 16 |
| Deposited By: | UTAS Centre for Rural Health |
| Deposited On: | 2020-03-11 |
| Last Modified: | 2020-04-09 |
| Downloads: | 21 View Download Statistics |
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