"It's for us -newcomers, LGBTQ persons, and HIV-positive persons. You feel free to be": a qualitative study exploring social support group participation among African and Caribbean lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender newcomers and refugees in Toronto, Canada.
"It's for us -newcomers, LGBTQ persons, and HIV-positive persons. You feel free to be": a qualitative study exploring social support group participation among African and Caribbean lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender newcomers and refugees in Toronto, Canada.
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DOI：
10.1186/s12914-016-0092-0
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发表时间：
2016-07-02
影响因子：
3
通讯作者：
Ramsay H
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Logie CH;Lacombe-Duncan A;Lee-Foon N;Ryan S;Ramsay H
污名化和歧视损害男女同性恋、双性恋和变性者的福祉，并促使他们从性迫害和刑事定罪的环境中移徙。然而，LGBT新来者和难民在移民到加拿大等国后往往面临边缘化和满足健康社会决定因素的斗争。社会孤立是健康的一个关键社会决定因素，可能在形成LGBT新来者和难民之间的健康差异方面发挥重要作用。社会支持可以缓解压力源对心理健康的影响，减少社会孤立，建立社交网络。然而，很少有研究调查针对LGBT新来者和难民的社会支持团体。这项定性研究的目的是探索经验的社会支持团体参与LGBT非洲和加勒比地区的新来者和难民在加拿大城市。我们进行了3个焦点小组与LGBT非洲和加勒比地区的新来者和难民（n = 29）谁参加了社会支持小组在种族特定的艾滋病服务组织的场地为基础的样本。焦点小组遵循半结构化访谈指南，并使用叙事主题技术进行分析。参与者的叙述强调了移民的压力，社会孤立，心理健康问题，并满足SDOH的挑战。研究结果揭示了多层次的好处，社会支持小组参与在个人（自我接纳，改善心理健康），人际（减少孤立，友谊），社区（互惠，减少耻辱和歧视），和结构（住房，就业，移民，医疗保健）水平。研究结果表明，为LGBT非洲和加勒比新来者和难民量身定制的社会支持团体可以解决社会孤立，社区复原力，并提高资源的获取。卫生保健提供者可以提供支持团体、文化和LGBT胜任的卫生服务以及资源获取，以促进LGBT新来者和难民的健康和福祉。
Stigma and discrimination harm the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and contribute to migration from contexts of sexual persecution and criminalization. Yet LGBT newcomers and refugees often face marginalization and struggles meeting the social determinants of health (SDOH) following immigration to countries such as Canada. Social isolation is a key social determinant of health that may play a significant role in shaping health disparities among LGBT newcomers and refugees. Social support may moderate the effect of stressors on mental health, reduce social isolation, and build social networks. Scant research, however, has examined social support groups targeting LGBT newcomers and refugees. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experiences of social support group participation among LGBT African and Caribbean newcomers and refugees in an urban Canadian city. We conducted 3 focus groups with a venue-based sample of LGBT African and Caribbean newcomers and refugees (n = 29) who attended social support groups at an ethno-specific AIDS Service Organization. Focus groups followed a semi-structured interview guide and were analyzed using narrative thematic techniques. Participant narratives highlighted immigration stressors, social isolation, mental health issues, and challenges meeting the SDOH. Findings reveal multi-level benefits of social support group participation at intrapersonal (self-acceptance, improved mental health), interpersonal (reduced isolation, friendships), community (reciprocity, reduced stigma and discrimination), and structural (housing, employment, immigration, health care) levels. Findings suggest that social support groups tailored for LGBT African and Caribbean newcomers and refugees can address social isolation, community resilience, and enhance resource access. Health care providers can provide support groups, culturally and LGBT competent health services, and resource access to promote LGBT newcomers and refugees’ health and wellbeing.