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Abstract

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

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Smith, L and Hoang, Ha and Reynish, T and McLeod, K and Hannah, C and Auckland, S and Slewa-Younan, S and Mond, J
Keywords:	refugees, resettlement lived experience, social environment, refugee health, public health, quality of life, health services, housing, qualitative research, regional and rural Australia
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher:	MDPI AG
ISSN:	1661-7827
DOI / ID Number:	10.3390/ijerph17020501
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2020 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Related URLs:	Google Scholar: Hoang, Ha UTAS Profile: Hoang, Ha Google Scholar: McLeod, K UTAS Profile: McLeod, K UTAS Profile: Hannah, C UTAS Profile: Auckland, S
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