Webinar Recording: Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Care for Afghan Refugees

This webinar from PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health focused on the mental health disparities affecting the Afghan refugee community and the barriers they face in accessing care.

Speakers addressed the unique challenges refugees encounter when seeking mental health support, with an emphasis on the need for culturally sensitive and accessible services.

Watch:

Agenda

• Part I: 20 minutes – Magnitude, Disparities, and Paradigm Gaps
  • Post resettlement everyday life difficulties in Afghan refugee families
  • Incidence and prevalence rates of mental disorders in Afghan refugees
  • Mental health disparity gaps in CA between Afghans and US-born population
  • Mental health instruments used to screen for and assess mental disorders
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Afghan refugee children
  • Impact of acculturation and gender on mental distress and service utilization
• Part II: 30 minutes – Service Access Barriers and Facilitators in Sacramento
  • Geographical and social mapping of health services for Afghan refugees
  • Services awareness, access, and navigation support
  • Systemic, personal, cultural, and policy-related barriers
  • Insights from providers within governmental agencies and resettlement partners
  • Barriers to providing mental & sexual health, and domestic violence services
  • Linking barriers to the facilitators
• Q&A: 10 minutes

Speakers

• Dr. Marius Koga, MD, MPH, FRSPH
• Sima Naderi, MPH, MSc