Public health nurses' experiences with mental health promotion for adolescent immigrants in schools: Aqualitative study.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore public health nurses' experiences with mental health promotion for adolescent immigrants in lower secondary and high school, aiming to enhance knowledge and insights for effective mental health promotion. A qualitative design employing a hermeneutic approach was chosen. Thirteen public health nurses were selected using purposive criterion sampling and snowballing. Thematic analysis was applied, adhering to COREQ guidelines for transparency. The research was approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data. The guidelines of the National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities were followed. Data were collected through three focus-group interviews (n = 13), using semi-structured interview guides to explore the experiences of public health nurses in promoting mental health among adolescent immigrants. This study identified three key themes: (i) Striving to understand adolescent immigrants' mental health aspects, including both positive and negative aspects; (ii) Different strategies for promoting mental health, viewing adolescents as both recipients and contributors to their well-being; and (iii) Barriers to public health nurses' promotion of mental health, including language, cultural, and knowledge-related obstacles and trust issues. Public health nurses noted that language barriers and trust issues often delayed adolescent immigrants from seeking help for mental health concerns. Cultural competence and empathy were deemed crucial. To meet these needs, public health nurses must build rapport with parents, collaborate with professionals, implement follow-up programmes, and advocate for policy changes. Limitations of this qualitative study include potential bias from the authors' background and non-generalizability of results to other contexts. In conclusion, public health nurses' experiences reveal the need for enhanced cultural competence, language proficiency, and trust-building to better serve adolescent immigrants. Collaborative efforts, follow-up programmes, and policy advocacy are essential to improve mental health promotion in school settings.