Abstract：
The refugee experience has been associated with increased rates of psychosocial challenges. At the same time, evidence suggests that those who resettled in Western countries including Canada underutilize the formal mental health services in these countries. The low uptake has been attributed to barriers such as language, complexity of the health systems, and differing explanatory models of illness. The same is true for Somali refugees in the West. Studies suggest that Somali refugees prefer spiritual healing for psychosocial illness and that some return to East Africa for such healing. However, little is known about Somali Canadian\'s experiences with the Canadian mental health services and transnational health seeking. The study aimed to understand psychosocial challenges faced by Somali Canadians, their health seeking behaviors, and service utilization. Because some sought psychosocial services outside the country, fieldwork was conducted in Kenya to provide new evidence on transnational healing services. Ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews were utilized. Thirty-seven interviews of about an hour each were undertaken. Fieldwork in Nairobi focused on spiritual healing centers and medical clinic. The findings reveal important findings regarding psychosocial challenges experienced by participants. It discusses psychosocial illnesses as variedly experienced, challenges with accessing Canadian healthcare services, and seeking culturally appropriate services in East Africa. The study highlights participants and their families struggle with psychosocial distress, the challenges of accessing culturally appropriate services within Canada, the role of spiritual healers and the existence of transnational health seeking practices.
摘要：
难民经历与心理社会挑战的增加有关。同时,有证据表明，在包括加拿大在内的西方国家重新定居的人未充分利用这些国家的正式精神卫生服务。低吸收归因于语言等障碍，卫生系统的复杂性，和不同的疾病解释模型。西方的索马里难民也是如此。研究表明，索马里难民更喜欢精神治疗心理社会疾病，有些人返回东非进行这种治疗。然而,对索马里加拿大人在加拿大精神卫生服务和跨国健康寻求方面的经验知之甚少。该研究旨在了解索马里加拿大人面临的心理社会挑战，他们寻求健康的行为，和服务利用率。因为有些人在国外寻求社会心理服务，在肯尼亚进行了实地调查，以提供有关跨国治疗服务的新证据。利用了人种学实地考察和深入访谈。进行了37次采访，每次约一个小时。内罗毕的实地考察重点是精神康复中心和医疗诊所。研究结果揭示了有关参与者所经历的心理社会挑战的重要发现。它讨论了各种经历的社会心理疾病，获得加拿大医疗保健服务的挑战，并在东非寻求文化上适当的服务。该研究强调了参与者及其家人与社会心理困扰的斗争，在加拿大境内获得文化上适当的服务的挑战，精神治疗师的作用和跨国寻求健康的做法的存在。
