Beyond asylum: implications for nursing and health care delivery for Afghan refugees in Australia

Descriptions of the refugee experience, together with an analysis of access, use, and appropriateness of mental and physical health services as perceived by members of the Afghan immigrant or refugee community living in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, are reported in this article. Using focus groups and semistructured interviews in a variety of settings, the study included 13 key informants and 25 general informants, together with health care agencies providing services to the Afghans and organizations providing resources. Analysis of interviews with Afghan people revealed a number of themes. These include emotional responses to trauma, migration, and resettlement experiences; culture-specific health maintenance strategies; barriers impeding access to and appropriateness of Australian health care services; and informant-suggested strategies to enhance accessibility and the appropriateness of health care and community services. These findings are significant and have relevance for improving the quality of culture-specific health care for the Afghan community in NSW Australia.