Asylum seekers’ lived experiences of dignity during health examination: A phenomenological hermeneutical study

Olivia Bolinas Obtinario,Kari Marie Thorkildsen

doi:10.1177/2057158520947649

Olivia Bolinas Obtinario, Kari Marie Thorkildsen

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/2057158520947649

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Abstract

For newly arrived asylum seekers, a health examination is common practice in many countries. For asylum seekers, this part of the asylum-seeking process can be experienced as a burden due to communication barriers, feelings of mistrust and insecurity and the experience of being an object rather than an individual. The aim of this study was to explore asylum seekers’ lived experiences of dignity while undergoing a health examination. Eight asylum seekers participated in individual in-depth interviews. A phenomenological hermeneutical approach was used to analyse the collected data. The study is reported in accordance with COREQ guidelines. The lived experience of dignity was linked to dignity violation as well as to dignity safeguarded. The participants experienced anxiety about how they would be received. Some were met with kindness and care, but there were also many incidents of demeaning behaviour. With an interpreter present, the participants experienced that they could not speak freely. Numerous healthcare personnel and frequent transfers caused confusion and insecurity. Well-organised health centres made participants experience a sense of safety and respect. The results can be understood as a pattern consisting of four categories: rights-related, care-related, communication-related and system-related. This small study, which limits the conclusions that can be drawn, conveys that ethical awareness and professional expertise may contribute to safeguarding asylum seekers’ dignity in the above categories during a health examination.

Highlights

For newly arrived asylum seekers, a health examination is common practice in many countries
Many asylum seekers are aware of the necessity to undergo a health examination,[4] but they describe it as being more of a communicable disease control rather than an effort to take care of their health needs.[4,6]
Undergoing a health examination entailed the uncertainty of being treated with dignity

Summary

Introduction

For newly arrived asylum seekers, a health examination is common practice in many countries. The guidelines for the health examination exist to ensure that all asylum seekers receive the services to which they are entitled.[2] For many asylum seekers, the health examination is their first encounter with the healthcare system in the host country.[3] Asylum seekers are in a vulnerable situation due to unpleasant experiences and exposures in their home countries and during migration.[4,5] Previous research[3,4,5,7,8] reports that the health examination can be a burden for them due to poor communication and information, cultural barriers and misunderstandings, unmet needs and expectations, feelings of ambiguity, mistrust and insecurity and the experience of being more an object than a unique individual.

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