Abstract
BackgroundIn the recent years, the number of Syrians living in Germany increased drastically due to the massive displacement caused by the Syrian conflict. Syrian migrant women in Germany are challenged by both the migration process and the changing of social roles. Seeking out healthcare may be hampered by linguistic and cultural barriers, but the new context may offer opportunities for health and well-being (free access to health care, civil/human rights). Little is known about how Syrian women manage their health after their resettlement in Germany.MethodsIn depth interviews in Arabic were conducted with 9 Syrian women who were recruited through purposive sampling (18–55 years, migrated in 2011–2017, different education levels), focusing on capabilities to control one’s health and to navigate the German healthcare system, and social/environmental barriers and facilitators to effectively manage their health. Interview transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe women reported their health to be impaired by post-migration stressors, such as perceived discrimination, loss of social status and worrying about the future. Many interviewees felt disempowered and incompetent to successfully and actively navigate the German healthcare system, lacking information and not understanding their rights and options under the health insurance plan. The language barrier added to feeling vulnerable. Many women experienced doctors declining to treat them for capacity reasons; when treated, they often did not feel taken seriously or were dissatisfied with the emotional/cultural aspects of care. If possible, Arabic doctors were sought out. Some women, however, described improved resources for health, and appreciated better women’s rights as a source of power.ConclusionsThe lack of information about the structure and offers of the German healthcare system, language and culture specific barriers as well as socio-cultural challenges are undermining the ability of Syrian women to manage their health effectively after their resettlement in Germany. Providing tailored information on the German healthcare system, creating a health-literacy supportive environment, and improving cultural sensitivity in healthcare provision could help Syrian women better utilize medical care offered in Germany.
Highlights
In the recent years, the number of Syrians living in Germany increased drastically due to the massive displacement caused by the Syrian conflict
A qualitative approach was chosen as the appropriate method since it allows to understand how the participants construct their own meaning of reality, which corresponds with the exploratory nature of this study [18, 19]
Post‐migration stressors impacting health negatively The women described living in continuous stress in Germany, which they considered as the main factor that undermined the possibility of a healthy life
Summary
The number of Syrians living in Germany increased drastically due to the massive displacement caused by the Syrian conflict. Little is known about how Syrian women manage their health after their resettlement in Germany Relocation to another country often poses serious psychological, Social, and familial challenges, demanding extensive individual adjustments, often resulting in health complications [1]. With its recent open border policy, received the largest number of Syrian migrants in Europe, increasing the number of Syrians living in Germany from 30,133 in 2011 to 746,000 in 2019 [3]. This makes Syrians the third-largest foreign population group in Germany [4]. The specific situation of forced migration poses further challenges to the migrants’ health [9]
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