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The situation of asylum seekers confined under deportation orders can expose caregivers to major clinical and organisational ethics issues. To help caregivers and healthcare organisations find ethical guidance, I reviewed the challenges of access to care and analysed the health and socio-political data to understand the ethical and logistical issues they face in these situations. My research shows that the situation of these patients raises issues of law, equity and distributive justice, and that there is a wide gap in knowledge about these situations and the resources available. This exploratory study shows that independent doctors, independent community resources and hospitals are the resources best placed to meet the care needs of refused asylum seekers, and that there is an urgent need to raise awareness and train caregivers in these issues., La situation des demandeurs d’asile reclus sous avis de déportation peut exposer les soignants à des enjeux éthiques cliniques et organisationnels majeurs. Pour aider les soignants et les organisations de soins à trouver des balises éthiques, nous avons dressé un état des défis d’accès aux soins, et analysé les données sanitaires et sociopolitiques, pour saisir les enjeux éthiques et logistiques auxquels ces situations les confrontent. Notre recherche montre que la situation de ces patients pose des enjeux légaux, d’équité, de justice distributive, et un grand fossé de connaissance sur ces situations et les ressources disponibles. Cette étude exploratoire indique d’une part que les médecins indépendants, les ressources communautaires indépendantes, et l’hôpital sont les ressources les plus à même de répondre aux besoins de soins des demandeurs d’asile refusés, et d’autre part, qu’il est urgent de sensibiliser et de former les soignants à ces enjeux.

Background: Evidence amounted early that migrants, who are often side-lined in pandemic response or preparedness plans, are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. However, synthesised evidence that quantifies the magnitude of inequalities in infection risk, disease outcomes, consequences of pandemic measures or that explains the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Methods: We conducted a systematic review searching 25 databases and grey literature (12/2019 to 09/2023) and considered empirical articles covering migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation, ICU admission, mortality, COVID-19 vaccination rates or health consequences of pandemic measures. Random-effects meta-analysis of observational studies and qualitative analysis were performed for evidence synthesis. A protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021296952). Findings: Out of 17,088 records, we included 370 reports in the review. For the quantitative studies (n = 65; mainly from high income countries), meta-analysis with over 53 million participants studied showed that, compared to non-migrants, migrants have an elevated risk of infection (RR = 1.84; 95%-CI: 1.44–2.35) but similar risk for hospitalisation (RR = 1.10; 0.91–1.33), while the probability of ICU admission was higher (RR = 1.23; 0.99–1.52). Among those hospitalised, migrants had a lower risk of mortality (RR = 0.56; 0.42–0.76), while their population-based mortality tended to be higher (RR = 1.46; 0.95–2.26). The qualitative synthesis (n = 75) highlighted the complex interplay of social and COVID-19-related factors at different levels. This involved increased exposure, risk, and impact of pandemic measures that compromised the health of migrants. Interpretation: Even in the advanced stages of the pandemic, migrants faced higher infection risks and disproportionately suffered from the consequences of COVID-19 disease, including deaths. Populat

Asylum seekers are often destitute upon their arrival in the UK and, thus, they depend primarily on the UK government to support them. Yet, the UK government has been enforcing the destitution of asylum seekers through socio-political and economic mechanisms. Socio-political mechanisms of destitution relate to repressive asylum policies inhibiting asylum seekers’ access to mainstream benefits, employment and their ability to do meaningful activities, while economic mechanisms of destitution relate to an insufficient asylum allowance that leaves asylum seekers destitute. This article uses 50 interviews conducted with asylum seekers, refugees and staff from various organisations to explore asylum seekers' experiences of enforced destitution in Glasgow. Findings indicate that socio-political mechanisms of destitution underpin experiences of destitution and are the precursor to the economic mechanism of destitution. Findings also show that economic mechanisms of destitution challenge asylum seekers’ ability to meet their subsistence needs. Furthermore, the UK government’s enforced destitution of asylum seekers has caused asylum seekers to depend upon the third sector to fill the gaps in meeting their basic needs.

This paper develops the concept of ‘imagined temporalities’ to explore multiple temporal subjectivities, time cultures, ‘myths’, and realities evident in interviews with resettlement workers who were part of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) in Merseyside, United Kingdom (UK). Conducted in 2019, the interviews took place as the triggering of Article 50 signalled the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU). This period of unprecedented social, economic, and political changes formed a crucial backdrop framing our interviewees’ narratives. The views of resettlement workers have been little explored and are employed here to complement the insights provided by work undertaken by others with refugees and asylum seekers. This research provides important insights into their perceptions of the interplay of factors that afect belonging and access to supports for refugees and asylum seekers, revealing wider, largely underreported, concerns. These include, their own personal experiences working in support services and system changes, driven by growing socio-political pressures that impact on community-building among refugees during their resettlement. Signifcantly, debates about “Brexit” and the UK’s political future, as well as heated public discussions of the historical legacies of colonialism which underpin the present treatment of migrants, are refected in these resettlement workers’ views as well. Subsequently, this paper employs the concept of ‘imagined temporalities’ to explore how support workers understand the treatment of migrants by social and political systems—and their own personal struggles and hopes,—against this wider, divisive post-Brexit backdrop. Overall, the paper underlines the highly politicised space the resettlement workers operate in, where they balance the needs of service users in the midst of constraints imposed by overly rigid time regimes.

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' descriptions and interpretations of post-migration mental health and societal challenges among forced migrants with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. Participants representing seven professions were recruited by a combination of convenience, purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews, analysed with systematic text condensation in a collaborative process involving researchers, clinicians and migrants with lived experiences. Participants described a challenging trajectory for migrants, as migrants venture through an uncertain and demanding journey impacting their mental health. Needing to deal with legal requirements, stressful circumstances and normative expectations during the asylum process were highlighted as major challenges, along with exposure to discrimination, violence, abuse and lack of psychosocial safety. Participants described significant psychological distress among migrants, including loneliness and shame. Challenges were also recognised related to exploring, accepting and expressing sexuality and gender. Loneliness and shame are major challenges in need of further attention in research, which could be addressed through the development and evaluation of actions, programmes and interventions to provide peer support.

Background: Evidence amounted early that migrants, who are often side-lined in pandemic response or preparedness plans, are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. However, synthesised evidence that quantifies the magnitude of inequalities in infection risk, disease outcomes, consequences of pandemic measures or that explains the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Methods: We conducted a systematic review searching 25 databases and grey literature (12/2019 to 09/2023) and considered empirical articles covering migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation, ICU admission, mortality, COVID-19 vaccination rates or health consequences of pandemic measures. Random-effects meta-analysis of observational studies and qualitative analysis were performed for evidence synthesis. A protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021296952). Findings: Out of 17,088 records, we included 370 reports in the review. For the quantitative studies (n = 65; mainly from high income countries), meta-analysis with over 53 million participants studied showed that, compared to non-migrants, migrants have an elevated risk of infection (RR = 1.84; 95%-CI: 1.44–2.35) but similar risk for hospitalisation (RR = 1.10; 0.91–1.33), while the probability of ICU admission was higher (RR = 1.23; 0.99–1.52). Among those hospitalised, migrants had a lower risk of mortality (RR = 0.56; 0.42–0.76), while their population-based mortality tended to be higher (RR = 1.46; 0.95–2.26). The qualitative synthesis (n = 75) highlighted the complex interplay of social and COVID-19-related factors at different levels. This involved increased exposure, risk, and impact of pandemic measures that compromised the health of migrants. Interpretation: Even in the advanced stages of the pandemic, migrants faced higher infection risks and disproportionately suffered from the consequences of COVID-19 disease, including deaths. Populat

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the scale of health disparities in society, highlighting how the distribution of infection and deaths differs between population subgroups within countries. Asylum seekers represent a potentially vulnerable group; early in the pandemic, concerns were raised about their housing situation, usually involving overcrowded, camp-like accommodations, and the effects of COVID-19 in relation to this. Hence, this study aimed to explore asylum seekers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic while living at accommodation centers. Methods In this qualitative study, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with asylum seekers at two accommodation centers in Sweden. Participants represented a diverse group of asylum seekers in regard to age, educational background, and gender. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Experiences related to COVID-19 were highly dependent on the living situation at the accommodation centers and the experience of feeling unsafe in shared spaces. This was enhanced by the experiences of a challenging mix of COVID-19 messages where different understandings of COVID-19 and related measures existed, together with a feeling of loss of control and safety in shared rooms. Additionally, participants felt more isolated from the outside society and missed prior social activities. Adding to this experience of isolation was an increasing mistrust regarding the authorities’ pandemic response. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers at accommodation centers during the pandemic, shaped by their housing situation and legal status. The findings underscore the need for context-specific support, holistic disease prevention approaches, and tailored health communication strategies using diverse formats. Additionally, the findings emphasize the crucial need to identify and mobilize existing community resources in p, CC-BY 4.0Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. The project of which this study is a part was funded by the Swedish Red Cross University.

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ descriptions and interpretations of post-migration mental health and societal challenges among forced migrants with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. Participants representing seven professions were recruited by a combination of convenience, purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews, analysed with systematic text condensation in a collaborative process involving researchers, clinicians and migrants with lived experiences. Participants described a challenging trajectory for migrants, as migrants venture through an uncertain and demanding journey impacting their mental health. Needing to deal with legal requirements, stressful circumstances and normative expectations during the asylum process were highlighted as major challenges, along with exposure to discrimination, violence, abuse and lack of psychosocial safety. Participants described significant psychological distress among migrants, including loneliness and shame. Challenges were also recognised related to exploring, accepting and expressing sexuality and gender. Loneliness and shame are major challenges in need of further attention in research, which could be addressed through the development and evaluation of actions, programmes and interventions to provide peer support.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the scale of health disparities in society, highlighting how the distribution of infection and deaths differs between population subgroups within countries. Asylum seekers represent a potentially vulnerable group; early in the pandemic, concerns were raised about their housing situation, usually involving overcrowded, camp-like accommodations, and the effects of COVID-19 in relation to this. Hence, this study aimed to explore asylum seekers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic while living at accommodation centers. Methods In this qualitative study, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with asylum seekers at two accommodation centers in Sweden. Participants represented a diverse group of asylum seekers in regard to age, educational background, and gender. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Experiences related to COVID-19 were highly dependent on the living situation at the accommodation centers and the experience of feeling unsafe in shared spaces. This was enhanced by the experiences of a challenging mix of COVID-19 messages where different understandings of COVID-19 and related measures existed, together with a feeling of loss of control and safety in shared rooms. Additionally, participants felt more isolated from the outside society and missed prior social activities. Adding to this experience of isolation was an increasing mistrust regarding the authorities’ pandemic response. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers at accommodation centers during the pandemic, shaped by their housing situation and legal status. The findings underscore the need for context-specific support, holistic disease prevention approaches, and tailored health communication strategies using diverse formats. Additionally, the findings emphasize the crucial need to identify and mobilize existing community resources in p, CC-BY 4.0Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. The project of which this study is a part was funded by the Swedish Red Cross University.

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ descriptions and interpretations of post-migration mental health and societal challenges among forced migrants with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. Participants representing seven professions were recruited by a combination of convenience, purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews, analysed with systematic text condensation in a collaborative process involving researchers, clinicians and migrants with lived experiences. Participants described a challenging trajectory for migrants, as migrants venture through an uncertain and demanding journey impacting their mental health. Needing to deal with legal requirements, stressful circumstances and normative expectations during the asylum process were highlighted as major challenges, along with exposure to discrimination, violence, abuse and lack of psychosocial safety. Participants described significant psychological distress among migrants, including loneliness and shame. Challenges were also recognised related to exploring, accepting and expressing sexuality and gender. Loneliness and shame are major challenges in need of further attention in research, which could be addressed through the development and evaluation of actions, programmes and interventions to provide peer support.

SECTION 1. SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND TRAFFICKING The first section was focused on migrant survivors of sexual violence and trafficking and contained three chapters. In chapter 2 we explored the nexus between labels of “trafficking in human beings” and “conflict-related sexual violence” from a psychological and legal point of view. We found a tension between psychological perspectives and legal standpoints on these labels. In chapter 3 we applied a person-centered approach to identify subgroups within sex trafficking experiences amongst a clinical sample of 337 women adult survivors. We found two subgroups of survivors: 1) those who were restricted in their movement (“locked up”) by a non-intimate perpetrator, and 2) those who were mainly emotionally coerced into sex trafficking within an intimate relationship. Finally, in chapter 4 we used a multimethod approach to examine the feasibility of a novel body-oriented module aimed at mitigating sexual revictimisation amongst 13 (forced) migrant survivors of sexual violence and trafficking.Patients and facilitators attributed changes to the module that were in line with the intended outcomes. We concluded that a body-oriented approach to sexual revictimisation risk mitigation was feasible, and that the module’s effectivity and further implementation are worthwhile to consider. SECTION 2. FORCED MIGRANTS In the second section, containing four chapters, we focused on the mental health of forced migrants, including those who survived sexual violence and trafficking. In chapter 5 we explored conceptualisations of “neglect” at the intersect of mental health, gender and protracted displacements. We concluded that “neglect” must be considered in the context of: i) differential (health) priorities; ii) discrepancies between overt socially disruptive distress and covert socially containable distress; and iii) containment strategies around sexual violence. In chapter 6 we introduced the protocol for an observational treatmen

Background: Refugees and asylum seekers (ASRs) are frequently exposed to loss in addition to a variety of other stressors and often display high levels of various psychological symptoms. Objective: The study aimed to primarily determine clusters of prolonged grief disorder (PGD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression symptoms in bereaved ASRs and secondly identify predictors of cluster membership. Sociodemographic – and flight-related variables were investigated in exploratory analyses. Method: ASRs in Germany (N = 92) with interpersonal loss exposure, i.e. at least one missing or deceased relative or friend, were assessed with interview-based questionnaires for PGD, PTSD, and depressive symptoms. We used k-means cluster analysis to distinguish symptom profiles and logistic regression analyses to identify predictors of cluster membership. Results: We found a three-cluster-solution. The PGD-cluster (30%) was characterised predominantly by PGD symptoms, while the PGD/PTSD-cluster (32%) had high PGD and PTSD and moderate depressive symptoms. The resilient cluster (38%) showed low symptoms overall. insecure residence status predicted membership in the PGD and PGD/PTSD clusters relative to the resilient cluster, whilst higher attachment anxiety predicted membership in the PGD/PTSD cluster relative to the other clusters. Explorative analysis revealed duration of stay as a significant predictor. Conclusion: Findings can extend the current knowledge about different symptom profiles among bereaved ASRs in Europe. Insights to attachment – and migration-related variables distinguishing between these profiles offer starting points for interventions.

Die Passlosigkeit von Asylantragsteller:innen stellte die Politik in den letzten Jahren vor große Herausforderungen. Im ersten Halbjahr 2023 verfügten etwa 52 Prozent der negativ beschiedenen Asylantragsteller:innen ab 18 Jahren über keine Identitätspapiere. Sobald Asylantragsteller:innen keinen Pass vorlegen, muss sich der Staat um alternative Identitätsprüfungsmaßnahmen bemühen. Neben den bewährten Maßnahmen zur Identitätsprüfung, wie der Vorlage anderer Urkunden und Unterlagen und der Anhörung, die ihrerseits primär von der Zusammenarbeit mit dem Asylantragsteller oder der Asylantragstellerin abhängig sind, etablierte der Gesetzgeber durch die Datenträgerauswertung nach § 15a AsylG im Jahr 2017 eine davon unabhängige Identitätsprüfungsmöglichkeit. Seitdem wird die Datenträgerauswertung auch regelmäßig zu Beginn des Asylverfahrens vom Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge eingesetzt. Dabei stellt die Datenträgerauswertung zwar einen besonders schwerwiegenden Eingriff in das Recht auf die Gewährleistung der Vertraulichkeit und Integrität informationstechnischer Systeme der Betroffenen dar. Dem stehen aber neben verschiedenen Kontrollmechanismen und dem Ultima-Ratio-Gedanken die gewichtigen Ziele der Missbrauchsabwehr und der Ermöglichung der Abschiebung entgegen. Insbesondere die Stärkung eines fairen und sorgfältigen Asylverfahrens und die Migrationssteuerung stellen hochrangige Gemeinwohlziele dar. Im Ergebnis genügt deshalb die Datenträgerauswertung dem Verhältnismäßigkeitsgrundsatz. Dennoch erscheint es mit Blick auf die Verwaltungspraxis des Bundesamtes für Migration und Flüchtlinge, die auch vom Bundesverwaltungsgericht als rechtswidrig eingestuft wurde, zielführend, dem Gesetzgeber und der Praxis Empfehlungen für die Anwendung der Maßnahmen mit auf den Weg zu geben., The lack of passports among asylum seekers has posed major challenges for policymakers in recent years. In the first half of 2023, around 52 per cent of asylum seekers aged 18 and over who received a negative decision did not have an identity document. As soon as asylum applicants fail to present a passport/identity document, the state must endeavour to implement alternative identity verification measures. Proven identity verification measures include the presentation of other documents and the asylum interview, which both depend primarily on the cooperation of the asylum applicant. In addition, in 2017 the German legislator introduced an independent possibility of identity verification in the form of data carrier analysis in accordance with Section 15a of the Asylum Act (Asylgesetz). Since then, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has also regularly used data carrier analysis at the beginning of the asylum procedure. Data carrier analysis represents a particularly serious encroachment on the right of asylum seekers to guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of their information technology systems. However, in addition to various control mechanisms and the principle of last resort (ultima ratio), this is countered by the important objectives of preventing abuse and facilitating deportations. In particular, the strengthening of a fair and accurate asylum procedure and migration management are high-ranking public welfare objectives. As a result, the evaluation of these data carries analysis fulfils the principle of proportionality. Nevertheless, the administrative practice of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has been declared unlawful by the Federal Administrative Court. As a result, it is significant to make recommendations to legislators and practitioners on the application of the measures.

Background: Evidence amounted early that migrants, who are often side-lined in pandemic response or preparedness plans, are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. However, synthesised evidence that quantifies the magnitude of inequalities in infection risk, disease outcomes, consequences of pandemic measures or that explains the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Methods: We conducted a systematic review searching 25 databases and grey literature (12/2019 to 09/2023) and considered empirical articles covering migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation, ICU admission, mortality, COVID-19 vaccination rates or health consequences of pandemic measures. Random-effects meta-analysis of observational studies and qualitative analysis were performed for evidence synthesis. A protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021296952). Findings: Out of 17,088 records, we included 370 reports in the review. For the quantitative studies (n = 65; mainly from high income countries), meta-analysis with over 53 million participants studied showed that, compared to non-migrants, migrants have an elevated risk of infection (RR = 1.84; 95%-CI: 1.44–2.35) but similar risk for hospitalisation (RR = 1.10; 0.91–1.33), while the probability of ICU admission was higher (RR = 1.23; 0.99–1.52). Among those hospitalised, migrants had a lower risk of mortality (RR = 0.56; 0.42–0.76), while their population-based mortality tended to be higher (RR = 1.46; 0.95–2.26). The qualitative synthesis (n = 75) highlighted the complex interplay of social and COVID-19-related factors at different levels. This involved increased exposure, risk, and impact of pandemic measures that compromised the health of migrants. Interpretation: Even in the advanced stages of the pandemic, migrants faced higher infection risks and disproportionately suffered from the consequences of COVID-19 disease, including deaths. Populat

OBJECTIVE: This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants' experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: . The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion. CONCLUSION: To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.

Aims: To explore the experiences of seeking asylum and its impact on mental health among sexual minority forced migrant cisgender men living in Sweden. Methods: Exploratory qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews with 15 adult gay and bisexual cisgender men recruited via a combination of purposeful, convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analysed with systematic text condensation through a collaborative approach with three migrants with lived experience. Results: Seeking asylum had been an emotionally challenging journey for the participants in this study, involving several procedures that negatively impacted mental health. Being expected to disclose intimate information during asylum interviews had been a significant challenge, alongside needing to wait through long periods in uncertainty with little information about the progress of their asylum case. The behaviours and attitudes of professionals involved in the legal procedures had been a central aspect, as participants encountered interpreters and caseworkers who acted disrespectful and homophobic during asylum interviews. Participants mentioned that the behaviours of interpreters and the accuracy of the interpretation could influence the outcome of asylum claims and how comfortable they felt in sharing information. Thus, participants emphasized the importance of adequate and accurate interpreter services. Conclusions: Sexual minority men are faced with an unfamiliar and emotionally challenging position when seeking asylum and undergoing asylum interviews. The findings highlight the importance of adequate competence among professionals involved in asylum interviews, including interpreter utilization. Research is needed to determine effective methods to support these men throughout their asylum process.

OBJECTIVE: This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants' experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: . The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion. CONCLUSION: To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.

Background: Evidence amounted early that migrants, who are often side-lined in pandemic response or preparedness plans, are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. However, synthesised evidence that quantifies the magnitude of inequalities in infection risk, disease outcomes, consequences of pandemic measures or that explains the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Methods: We conducted a systematic review searching 25 databases and grey literature (12/2019 to 09/2023) and considered empirical articles covering migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced persons reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation, ICU admission, mortality, COVID-19 vaccination rates or health consequences of pandemic measures. Random-effects meta-analysis of observational studies and qualitative analysis were performed for evidence synthesis. A protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021296952). Findings: Out of 17,088 records, we included 370 reports in the review. For the quantitative studies (n = 65; mainly from high income countries), meta-analysis with over 53 million participants studied showed that, compared to non-migrants, migrants have an elevated risk of infection (RR = 1.84; 95%-CI: 1.44–2.35) but similar risk for hospitalisation (RR = 1.10; 0.91–1.33), while the probability of ICU admission was higher (RR = 1.23; 0.99–1.52). Among those hospitalised, migrants had a lower risk of mortality (RR = 0.56; 0.42–0.76), while their population-based mortality tended to be higher (RR = 1.46; 0.95–2.26). The qualitative synthesis (n = 75) highlighted the complex interplay of social and COVID-19-related factors at different levels. This involved increased exposure, risk, and impact of pandemic measures that compromised the health of migrants. Interpretation: Even in the advanced stages of the pandemic, migrants faced higher infection risks and disproportionately suffered from the consequences of COVID-19 disease, including deaths. Populat

Aims: To explore the experiences of seeking asylum and its impact on mental health among sexual minority forced migrant cisgender men living in Sweden. Methods: Exploratory qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews with 15 adult gay and bisexual cisgender men recruited via a combination of purposeful, convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analysed with systematic text condensation through a collaborative approach with three migrants with lived experience. Results: Seeking asylum had been an emotionally challenging journey for the participants in this study, involving several procedures that negatively impacted mental health. Being expected to disclose intimate information during asylum interviews had been a significant challenge, alongside needing to wait through long periods in uncertainty with little information about the progress of their asylum case. The behaviours and attitudes of professionals involved in the legal procedures had been a central aspect, as participants encountered interpreters and caseworkers who acted disrespectful and homophobic during asylum interviews. Participants mentioned that the behaviours of interpreters and the accuracy of the interpretation could influence the outcome of asylum claims and how comfortable they felt in sharing information. Thus, participants emphasized the importance of adequate and accurate interpreter services. Conclusions: Sexual minority men are faced with an unfamiliar and emotionally challenging position when seeking asylum and undergoing asylum interviews. The findings highlight the importance of adequate competence among professionals involved in asylum interviews, including interpreter utilization. Research is needed to determine effective methods to support these men throughout their asylum process.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the scale of health disparities in society, highlighting how the distribution of infection and deaths differs between population subgroups within countries. Asylum seekers represent a potentially vulnerable group; early in the pandemic, concerns were raised about their housing situation, usually involving overcrowded, camp-like accommodations, and the effects of COVID-19 in relation to this. Hence, this study aimed to explore asylum seekers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic while living at accommodation centers. Methods In this qualitative study, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with asylum seekers at two accommodation centers in Sweden. Participants represented a diverse group of asylum seekers in regard to age, educational background, and gender. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Experiences related to COVID-19 were highly dependent on the living situation at the accommodation centers and the experience of feeling unsafe in shared spaces. This was enhanced by the experiences of a challenging mix of COVID-19 messages where different understandings of COVID-19 and related measures existed, together with a feeling of loss of control and safety in shared rooms. Additionally, participants felt more isolated from the outside society and missed prior social activities. Adding to this experience of isolation was an increasing mistrust regarding the authorities’ pandemic response. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers at accommodation centers during the pandemic, shaped by their housing situation and legal status. The findings underscore the need for context-specific support, holistic disease prevention approaches, and tailored health communication strategies using diverse formats. Additionally, the findings emphasize the crucial need to identify and mobilize existing community resources in p, CC-BY 4.0Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. The project of which this study is a part was funded by the Swedish Red Cross University.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the scale of health disparities in society, highlighting how the distribution of infection and deaths differs between population subgroups within countries. Asylum seekers represent a potentially vulnerable group; early in the pandemic, concerns were raised about their housing situation, usually involving overcrowded, camp-like accommodations, and the effects of COVID-19 in relation to this. Hence, this study aimed to explore asylum seekers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic while living at accommodation centers. Methods In this qualitative study, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with asylum seekers at two accommodation centers in Sweden. Participants represented a diverse group of asylum seekers in regard to age, educational background, and gender. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Experiences related to COVID-19 were highly dependent on the living situation at the accommodation centers and the experience of feeling unsafe in shared spaces. This was enhanced by the experiences of a challenging mix of COVID-19 messages where different understandings of COVID-19 and related measures existed, together with a feeling of loss of control and safety in shared rooms. Additionally, participants felt more isolated from the outside society and missed prior social activities. Adding to this experience of isolation was an increasing mistrust regarding the authorities’ pandemic response. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers at accommodation centers during the pandemic, shaped by their housing situation and legal status. The findings underscore the need for context-specific support, holistic disease prevention approaches, and tailored health communication strategies using diverse formats. Additionally, the findings emphasize the crucial need to identify and mobilize existing community resources in p, CC-BY 4.0Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. The project of which this study is a part was funded by the Swedish Red Cross University.

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ descriptions and interpretations of post-migration mental health and societal challenges among forced migrants with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. Participants representing seven professions were recruited by a combination of convenience, purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews, analysed with systematic text condensation in a collaborative process involving researchers, clinicians and migrants with lived experiences. Participants described a challenging trajectory for migrants, as migrants venture through an uncertain and demanding journey impacting their mental health. Needing to deal with legal requirements, stressful circumstances and normative expectations during the asylum process were highlighted as major challenges, along with exposure to discrimination, violence, abuse and lack of psychosocial safety. Participants described significant psychological distress among migrants, including loneliness and shame. Challenges were also recognised related to exploring, accepting and expressing sexuality and gender. Loneliness and shame are major challenges in need of further attention in research, which could be addressed through the development and evaluation of actions, programmes and interventions to provide peer support.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the scale of health disparities in society, highlighting how the distribution of infection and deaths differs between population subgroups within countries. Asylum seekers represent a potentially vulnerable group; early in the pandemic, concerns were raised about their housing situation, usually involving overcrowded, camp-like accommodations, and the effects of COVID-19 in relation to this. Hence, this study aimed to explore asylum seekers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic while living at accommodation centers. Methods In this qualitative study, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with asylum seekers at two accommodation centers in Sweden. Participants represented a diverse group of asylum seekers in regard to age, educational background, and gender. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Experiences related to COVID-19 were highly dependent on the living situation at the accommodation centers and the experience of feeling unsafe in shared spaces. This was enhanced by the experiences of a challenging mix of COVID-19 messages where different understandings of COVID-19 and related measures existed, together with a feeling of loss of control and safety in shared rooms. Additionally, participants felt more isolated from the outside society and missed prior social activities. Adding to this experience of isolation was an increasing mistrust regarding the authorities’ pandemic response. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific challenges and vulnerabilities of asylum seekers at accommodation centers during the pandemic, shaped by their housing situation and legal status. The findings underscore the need for context-specific support, holistic disease prevention approaches, and tailored health communication strategies using diverse formats. Additionally, the findings emphasize the crucial need to identify and mobilize existing community resources in p, CC-BY 4.0Open access funding provided by Karolinska Institute. The project of which this study is a part was funded by the Swedish Red Cross University.

Objective This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information. Material and method In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants’ experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Findings The main findings indicate that migrant mothers used information sourcing as a pathway to solve oral health literacy tasks. Three main categories were identified, each with subcategories, describing the migrant mothers’ experiences of accessing and evaluating oral health information: ‘accessible source of information’, ‘needs-related purpose of seeking information’ and ‘trustworthiness assessment’. The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion. Conclusion To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.

Return policies are a hot topic in the public discussion of asylum. Political parties and citizens on the street have an opinion about it. The views vary widely and range from 'Everyone may live in the Netherlands, the world knows no borders' to 'Let's get all those “fortune seekers” out of the country'. However, everyone agrees that the return policy needs to be better. It is well known that the effectiveness of return policies largely depends on the asylum seekers themselves and their willingness to cooperate. After all, forced return is a difficult process with many obstacles, while voluntary return is almost always possible. This research is about asylum seekers themselves, how they experience the asylum process (perceived procedural legitimacy) and to what extent this influences the extent to which they want to return to their country of origin after a rejection.

Health inequalities are a persistent and growing issue in different countries worldwide. Sweden, despite being one of the scandinavian countries with internationally recognized welfare system is no exception. The issue of health disparities and its increase among some groups, including those who are categorised as migrant have been acknowledged. Emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, revealed the gravity of the situation when groups of people who had migrated to Sweden from countries mainly within Africa and the Middle East were on the frontline experiencing disproportionate impacts of the Coronavirus. Although the effect of structural factors on health vulnerabilities among these groups have been identified, there is still little knowledge about how individuals who are placed into migrant categories have experienced and responded to health risks caused by the pandemic. This dissertation aims to provide a cultural analytical account of the ways in which people who undergo an asylum process in Sweden relate to, navigate, and negotiate health. By empirically investigating a group of asylum seekers’ perceptions of health, body, and risk, this study demonstrates how the participants make meaning of their embodied experiences of generating health and practicing self-care while living in a transitional state. In a health care landscape where taking responsibility for one’s health is a sociocultural norm, protecting health and preserving body is seen as a moral percept, expected from all members of society. Disparities in health, from this view, may be perceived as avoidable by leading a healthy way of life and avoiding exposure to health risks. By focusing on a group of asylum seekers’ experiences of navigating health and care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden, this study reveals how perceptions and practices of health and care are situational, contextual, and negotiable in relation to the conditions within asylum processes. While being expected to a

Significant population displacements have been taking place for centuries, most of the time as a consequence of natural disasters, wars, persecution or economic challenges. In 2023, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported 110 million people forcibly displaced worldwide (UNHCR, 2023). Conflicts in one country rapidly affect others, mainly as a result of these displacements and the vulnerable situation in which people find themselves in such circumstances. Thus, upon arrival in foreign countries, asylum seekers rely on the support provided by means of so called arrival/reception infrastructures, which can be material or immaterial means of aid. The Netherlands, a country that receives refugees since its years as a republic, faced many crises in this regard over the years and keeps dealing with the consequences of episodes of high influx of refugees until nowadays. So, the objective of this research is to answer the questions “How did the reception infrastructure evolve during the main refugee crises in the Netherlands since World War II?”, and “What are the challenges and gaps in the spatial reception infrastructure offered by the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), considering the minimum standards required by the Common European Asylum System?”, by analysing and reflecting upon historical media, archival materials, and publicly available reports and articles on the news about the current physical conditions of reception facilities. Even though the asylum seekers’ reception system gradually became more regulated and the infrastructure provided changed significantly over the years, inhumane conditions continue to take place. European policies that fail on taking individual basic necessities of refugees into account, and a lack of shelter places in the country demonstrate that the reception infrastructure does not comply with the ever changing numbers of asylum requests, resulting in extremely inhumane situations to hap, AR2A011, Architectural History Thesis, Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences

Aims: To explore the experiences of seeking asylum and its impact on mental health among sexual minority forced migrant cisgender men living in Sweden. Methods: Exploratory qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews with 15 adult gay and bisexual cisgender men recruited via a combination of purposeful, convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analysed with systematic text condensation through a collaborative approach with three migrants with lived experience. Results: Seeking asylum had been an emotionally challenging journey for the participants in this study, involving several procedures that negatively impacted mental health. Being expected to disclose intimate information during asylum interviews had been a significant challenge, alongside needing to wait through long periods in uncertainty with little information about the progress of their asylum case. The behaviours and attitudes of professionals involved in the legal procedures had been a central aspect, as participants encountered interpreters and caseworkers who acted disrespectful and homophobic during asylum interviews. Participants mentioned that the behaviours of interpreters and the accuracy of the interpretation could influence the outcome of asylum claims and how comfortable they felt in sharing information. Thus, participants emphasized the importance of adequate and accurate interpreter services. Conclusions: Sexual minority men are faced with an unfamiliar and emotionally challenging position when seeking asylum and undergoing asylum interviews. The findings highlight the importance of adequate competence among professionals involved in asylum interviews, including interpreter utilization. Research is needed to determine effective methods to support these men throughout their asylum process.

This thesis deconstructs Australia’s asylum and refugee policy trajectory under the Labor government between 2007 and 2013. For a short time after the 2007 election, in accordance with its promise to abolish the LNP’s Pacific Solution, Labor began to unwind certain policy structures of externalisation and deterrence that had been in place since the introduction of mandatory detention in 1992. By 2013 however, the ALP had declared that asylum seekers arriving by boat had no prospect of resettlement in Australia. This thesis analyses the political strategy of the ALP in rhetoric, policy choices and policy justifications to derive lessons from Labor’s mitigated challenge to the deterrence/externalisation paradigm. Critical Discourse Analysis is used to examine the political strategies of lead actors, particularly the ALP and the LNP, and to reconcile these strategies with policy outcomes such as irregular arrivals, detention figures, deaths at sea and compliance with obligations under international law. A central argument of this thesis is that Labor’s attempt to sustainably depart from the dominant externalisation paradigm was impaired, not by a lack of commitment to its stated program of reform, but rather by entrenched political limitations of the Australian context. These limitations include the LNP’s rigid partisanship and lack of policy compromise, the deep-rooted nature of mandatory detention, and the Australian public’s historical and continued support for controlled migration. A precise and detailed analysis of the impact of these limitations on Labor’s proposed reform fills a gap in academic knowledge about the political influences on policy action in Australian asylum and refugee policy. I contend that these limitations must be effectively engaged with in any attempt to reform the Australian asylum and refugee policy space.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how unaccompanied children have contributed to or affected Swedish society, and how society's reception has affected these children in 2015. This study investigates the situation of unaccompanied children in Sweden in 2015, a year marked by an increased flow of asylum seekers and concerns that came with receiving and integrating these children. The project aims to shed light on the complicated variations in reception of unaccompanied children as well as their impact and contribution on Swedish society. The study conducts interviews with unaccompanied children and representatives from Swedish society using qualitative semi-structured interviews. The result showed that unaccompanied children in 2015 have influenced and contributed to Swedish society. By working, paying taxes and also participating in society's various social systems. It turned out that society has influenced the children both positively and negatively. Freedom affected them positively and authorities such as the Swedish Migration Agency have affected them negatively. Unaccompanied children have shown gratitude to Swedish society despite several shortcomings that existed since their arrival in 2015. The children had been given great opportunities for development such as education, freedom and a safe life.

This thesis addresses the pervasive influence of coloniality in the lived experiences of asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Based in intersectional and decolonial feminist theories and methodology, my aim was to centre the silenced narratives of this marginalised group. By highlighting the conditional nature of hospitality, which perpetuates the asymmetrical power imbalance between the superior ‘host’ and inferior ‘guest’, the aim was to show how coloniality impacts the social and ethical dimension of the lives of asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Simultaneously, I tried, together with the research participants, to find decolonial options to resist this coloniality, while proposing alternatives for a more humane and equitable decolonial otherwise. After conducting conversations with six asylum seeker men, I found that they face multiple colonial encounters on a daily basis, presenting in exclusionary patterns of racialization and victimisation, systems of control that erode their agency, while leaving them in a liminal state of uncertainty. With the use of thematic analysis, I concluded that decolonial resistance against this means the right to speak out, the right to refuse assimilation and the establishment of community that is grounded in relationality and pluriversality, rejecting the conditional nature of the existing colonial system, while welcoming everybody not as just guests, but as full members who are capable of co-creating a better, hospitable society and decolonial future.

The phenomenon of asylum seekers seeking refuge in foreign countries has become an intricate global challenge, often raising questions about successful integration and participation within host societies. This paper dwells on the multifaceted relationship between asylum seekers and their active engagement in the integration process. Drawing from interdisciplinary research encompassing psychology, peace and migration studies, the paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors that shape asylum seekers' participation and contributions to their host communities. The thesis provides a nuanced understanding of integration, emphasizing its multidimensional nature encompassing economic, social, cultural, and policy level dimensions. It then explores the barriers and facilitators that impact asylum seekers' participation in these dimensions, such as personal experiences, social attitudes, language proficiency, legal frameworks, and access to education and employment opportunities. Moreover, the study examines the role of host society's perception and attitudes in influencing asylum seekers' willingness and ability to integrate. Highlighting the significance of reciprocal interactions, the paper also investigates the ways in which asylum seekers' active engagement contributes to the host society's own integration process. This includes fostering intercultural communication, enriching diversity, and potentially challenging stereotypes and prejudices. The analysis sheds light on potential avenues for policy and practice interventions that can enhance the integration process and maximize the benefits of asylum seekers' participation. The research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the complexities surrounding asylum seekers’ integration and participation. Using a qualitative research framework, the research examined responses from 15 asylum seekers who had first-hand experience of the barriers and motivators to participating in integration programs. The study adopted

This paper explores asylum seekers’ experiences of urban arrival infrastructures, illustrating how these provide asylum seekers with opportunities for familiarization with the reception location and its inhabitants. Drawing on two qualitative case studies in Augsburg, Germany, three different subsets of arrival infrastructures emerged as relevant to familiarization; infrastructures for information, for language learning and for social connection. The analysis shows how asylum seekers are differentially positioned towards accessing informational, language-learning and social infrastructures due the intersection of spatial, institutional and personal constraints. Public and semi-public spaces proved to be indispensable to asylum seekers’ informational, language learning and social infrastructures. The paper concludes by highlighting the ambiguity and political nature of urban arrival infrastructures: While state-provided, formal infrastructures often undermined the process of familiarization and contributed to asylum seekers’ differential access to opportunities and resources, informal, citizen-provided infrastructures were crucial in supporting asylum seekers’ needs during the periods of uncertainty.

Since the 1990s and especially since the so-called Refugee Crisis in 2015, hundreds of thousands of people have applied for asylum in Europe. This rising number of asylum seekers has, among other things, led to more negative public attitudes toward refugees. Whereas governments and NGOs in some areas struggle with accommodating newcomers while taking public attitudes into account, other, mostly rural regions face the additional challenge of depopulation that leads to socio-economic difficulties for the people left behind. An innovative approach that addresses both these challenges was developed in the dwindling town of Riace, Italy. Local NGOs and the municipality have been hosting migrants and refugees for over twenty years and combine immigrant inclusion programs with the sustainable development of this small and depopulating community. Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork, this dissertation examines and uncovers some critical policy aspects and local social dynamics that impacted newcomers' inclusion into the pioneering Riace community. The case of Riace can also serve as an example to other small European towns that (wish to) host refugees. Findings show that governments' financial, legal, and institutional support is crucial for the success of local immigrant inclusion practices. In addition, strong local (e.g., political) leadership that encourages people to be actively involved in community initiatives and, if possible, appeals to shared pro-social values to generate support for newcomers positively impacts refugees' inclusion. The findings further point to the advantages of small-scale refugee reception over large-scale and often segregated reception centers, as the setting of a small community can stimulate social dynamics that promote the inclusion of newcomers, for example, the formation of positive local relations and friendships. However, local migrant inclusion practices should simultaneously and equally address the socio-economic concerns and nee

This article presents a case study of how COVID-19 has increased the precarity and risks of labour exploitation for vulnerable populations. Looking at the situation of LGBTQ+ Venezuelan asylum seekers in Brazil during COVID-19, it examines how the challenges they faced were exacerbated during the pandemic and how the Brazilian government’s poor response to COVID-19 and lockdown policies forced LGBTQ+ Venezuelan asylum seekers to take greater risks that exposed them to the virus. Based on 56 surveys with LGBTQ+ Venezuelan asylum seekers in Manaus, Brazil, the article discusses how COVID-19 impacted the livelihoods of LGBTQ+ Venezuelan asylum seekers. Specifically, it demonstrates that transgender and travesti Venezuelan asylum seekers experienced more labour precarity, discrimination, and violence during the pandemic than their cisgender counterparts.

Denna studie undersöker förståelsen för behovet av vård av psykisk ohälsa bland nyanlända flyktingar och asylsökande i Sverige under 1990–2021. Studien tillämpar ett krisnarrativ perspektiv för att kontextualisera varför och hur förändringar i lagstiftningen sker och förståelsen av den. Vidare undersöker studien hur detta beskrivs och förstås i lagtexter, propositioner, offentliga utredningar och rapporter från 1990–2021 med en analytisk ram av krisnarrativ. Denna krisberättelse är konstruerad genom vittnesmål från socialsekreterare, migrationstjänstemän, journalister och professorer kopplade till migration. Detta kommer att förstås utifrån de teoretiska perspektiven om vem som har rätt till rättigheter (Arendt, 2017) och vem som är sörjbar (grievable) (Butler, 2016), samt ett holistiskt perspektiv på hälsa med hjälp av begreppen health-lifestyle (Cockerham, 2005), empowerment och KASAM- känsla av sammanhang. Genom följande frågeställningar: (1) Hur beskrevs behovet av vård och rättigheter för flyktingar och asylsökande i officiella dokument? (2) Hur har förskjutningen av rättigheter till hälsa och synen på behovet av vård bland flyktingar och asylsökande sett ut? och (3) Vilken inverkan kan rätten att ha rättigheter och att vara sörjbar ha över hälsofrågor hos flyktingar och asylsökande? En kvalitativ tematisk dokumentanalys antogs med en explorativ design baserad på ett induktivt förhållningssätt till det empiriska materialet. En hermeneutisk tolkning har tillämpats som innebar att skapa en djupare tolkning än den intellektuellt begripliga kunskapen. Resultatet visar att lagtexterna, propositionerna, offentliga utredningarna och rapporterna, har skiftat mot en mer decentraliserad struktur och med ett mer holistiskt perspektiv på hälsa. Tillsammans med vittnesseminarierna vittnar detta om att det paradoxalt nog har lett till en mer individualiserad syn på flyktingar, att de i större utsträckning tar ansvar för sin egen hälsa där en osäkerhet till följd av tillfäll, This study investigates the understanding of the need for care for mental illness among newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in Sweden during 1990-2021. The study applies a crisis narrative perspective to contextualise why and how changes in legislation occur and the understanding of it. Furthermore, the article investigates how this is described and understood in legal texts, propositions, public investigations, and reports from 1990–2021 with an analytical frame of a crisis narrative. This crisis narrative is constructed through testimonies by social secretaries, migration officers, journalists, and professors linked to migration. This will be understood from the theoretical perspectives of who has the right to have rights (Arendt, 2017) and who is grievable (Butler, 2016), as well as a holistic perspective on health using the concepts of health-lifestyle (Cockerham, 2005), empowerment and SOC- sense of coherence. This study asks: (1) How was the description of the need for care and rights for refugees and asylum seekers described in official documents? (2) How has the displacement shift in rights to health and the view of the need for care among refugees and asylum seekers looked like? and (3) What impact can the right to have rights and to be grievable have on the health issues of refugees and asylum seekers? A qualitative thematic document analysis was adopted with an exploratory design based on an inductive approach to the empirical material. A hermeneutic interpretation has been applied which means creating a deeper interpretation than the intellectually comprehensible knowledge. The result shows that the legal texts, propositions, public investigations, and reports have shifted towards a more decentralised structure with a more holistic perspective on health. Together with the witness seminars, this testifies that, paradoxically, it has led to a more individualised view of refugees, that they take responsibility for their health to a greater extent, whe

Bakgrund: Antalet flyktingar världen över ökar och fortsätter enligt UNHCR:s mätningar att öka och utgör därmed även en växande patientgrupp. Flyktingars tillgång till vård påverkas negativt av flertalet faktorer vilket kan ge allvarliga konsekvenser för deras hälsa. Sjuksköterskan är ofta flyktingarnas första kontakt med hälso- och sjukvården i ankomstlandet och spelar därför en viktig roll i att överkomma dessa hinder. Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att möta och vårda flyktingar inom hälso- och sjukvården. Metod: En kvalitativ litteraturstudie som följde Polit och Becks niostegsmodell, kvalitativa originalartiklar inkluderades och analyserades med tematisk analys enligt Braun och Clarke. Resultat: Tre teman med åtta underteman identifierades: Utmaningar i yrkesrollen med underteman att förstå varandra samt komplexitet och en vidgad yrkesroll. Känslor och dilemman och underteman svåra känslor och hanteringsstrategier, inställning till flyktingar samt etiska dilemman. Utmaningar för god omvårdnad med underteman strukturella hinder, behov av mer kunskap samt tid – en bristvara. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplever ett antal hinder i vården av flyktingar, varav kommunikationssvårigheter är det enskilt största. Här är tolken ett viktigt verktyg. Vidare forskning kring tolkar och deras funktion i vårdmötet behövs för att identifiera såväl framgångsfaktorer som hinder kring kommunikation via tolk., Background: The number of refugees worldwide is increasing and, according to UNHCR's measurements, continues to increase and thus also constitutes a growing patient group. Refugees' access to care is negatively affected by several factors, which can have serious consequences for their health. The nurse is often the refugees' first contact with health care in the country of arrival and therefore plays an important role in overcoming these obstacles. Aim: To describe nurses' experiences of meeting and caring for refugees within the health care system. Method: A qualitative literature study that followed Polit and Beck's nine-step model, qualitative original articles were included and analyzed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. Result: Three themes with eight sub-themes were identified. The main themes were challenges in the professional role, emotions and dilemmas and challenges for good nursing. Conclusion: Nurses experience several obstacles in the care of refugees, of which communication difficulties are the single greatest. Here the interpreter is an important tool. Further research on interpreters and their function in the care meeting is needed to identify both success factors and obstacles regarding communication via an interpreter.

With the increase in unaccompanied children in 2015, it has become common to discuss the legal status of unaccompanied children. By the Swedish law persons under the age of 18 are considered to be minors and therefore have no ability to make decisions in personal matters with legally binding effects. A childs case does not always require the same seriousness as adult cases to be able to obtain a residence permit. This leads to at different asylum process for unaccompanied children who lack guardians upon arriving to Sweden. Various assessments are made for unaccompanied children that adults do not need to undergo for a residence permit. Through the legal dogmatic method, an analysis and report has been made in relation to the EU law, current Swedish laws and international commitments that affect unaccompanied childrens rights within Swedish legislation. The courts way of assessing grounds for protection, as well as how these are tried has been analyzed. The concept of unaccompanied children has been defined, but the focus on their rights in Sweden has also been reported., I samband med ökningen av ensamkommande barn under år 2015 har det blivit ofta förekommande att diskutera ensamkommande barns rättsliga ställning. Personer som är under 18 år betraktas enligt svensk rätt som omyndiga och har därför ingen förmåga att med rättslig bindande verkan fatta beslut i personliga angelägenheter. Ett barns ärende behöver inte alltid ha samma allvar och tyngd som krävs för att vuxna personer ska kunna få uppehållstillstånd vilket leder till en annorlunda asylprocess för ensamkommande barn som saknad vårdnadshavare vid ankomsten till Sverige. Det görs olika bedömningar för ensamkommande barn som vuxna inte behöver genomgå för uppehållstillstånd. Genom den rättsdogmatiska metoden har det gjorts en analys och redogörelse i relation till EU-rätten, gällande svenska lagar och internationella åtaganden som påverkar ensamkommande barns rättigheter inom den svenska lagstiftningen. Domstolarnas sätt att bedöma skyddsgrunder samt hur dessa prövas inför domstolar har bedömts och analyserats. Begreppet ensamkommande barn har definierats men även fokus på deras rättigheter i Sverige har redogjorts.

The aim of this study was to examine how asylum organizations work in facilitating the integration of asylum seekers into Swedish society. In Sweden, despite its historical acceptance of migrants and asylum seekers, the country is not immune to integration challenges. The study employed a qualitative research approach to capture the perspectives and opinions of employees working in the selected organizations. A purposive sampling method was utilized, wherein two representatives were carefully chosen from each organization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of four (4) participants. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data gathered from these interviews. The findings of the study indicated that asylum organizations offer various forms of support, including assistance with school placement, language acquisition, housing, education on Swedish norms and customs, and facilitating connections with authorities to Asylum seekers. However, several challenges persist, such as insufficient government support, inadequate funding, and lengthy asylum procedures. To address these issues, there is a need for increased government support, proactive measures, financial aid, expedited asylum processes. These improvements would enable the organizations to effectively engage and assist asylum seekers in their integration process.

Denna studie undersöker förståelsen för behovet av vård av psykisk ohälsa bland nyanlända flyktingar och asylsökande i Sverige under 1990–2021. Studien tillämpar ett krisnarrativ perspektiv för att kontextualisera varför och hur förändringar i lagstiftningen sker och förståelsen av den. Vidare undersöker studien hur detta beskrivs och förstås i lagtexter, propositioner, offentliga utredningar och rapporter från 1990–2021 med en analytisk ram av krisnarrativ. Denna krisberättelse är konstruerad genom vittnesmål från socialsekreterare, migrationstjänstemän, journalister och professorer kopplade till migration. Detta kommer att förstås utifrån de teoretiska perspektiven om vem som har rätt till rättigheter (Arendt, 2017) och vem som är sörjbar (grievable) (Butler, 2016), samt ett holistiskt perspektiv på hälsa med hjälp av begreppen health-lifestyle (Cockerham, 2005), empowerment och KASAM- känsla av sammanhang. Genom följande frågeställningar: (1) Hur beskrevs behovet av vård och rättigheter för flyktingar och asylsökande i officiella dokument? (2) Hur har förskjutningen av rättigheter till hälsa och synen på behovet av vård bland flyktingar och asylsökande sett ut? och (3) Vilken inverkan kan rätten att ha rättigheter och att vara sörjbar ha över hälsofrågor hos flyktingar och asylsökande? En kvalitativ tematisk dokumentanalys antogs med en explorativ design baserad på ett induktivt förhållningssätt till det empiriska materialet. En hermeneutisk tolkning har tillämpats som innebar att skapa en djupare tolkning än den intellektuellt begripliga kunskapen. Resultatet visar att lagtexterna, propositionerna, offentliga utredningarna och rapporterna, har skiftat mot en mer decentraliserad struktur och med ett mer holistiskt perspektiv på hälsa. Tillsammans med vittnesseminarierna vittnar detta om att det paradoxalt nog har lett till en mer individualiserad syn på flyktingar, att de i större utsträckning tar ansvar för sin egen hälsa där en osäkerhet till följd av tillfäll, This study investigates the understanding of the need for care for mental illness among newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in Sweden during 1990-2021. The study applies a crisis narrative perspective to contextualise why and how changes in legislation occur and the understanding of it. Furthermore, the article investigates how this is described and understood in legal texts, propositions, public investigations, and reports from 1990–2021 with an analytical frame of a crisis narrative. This crisis narrative is constructed through testimonies by social secretaries, migration officers, journalists, and professors linked to migration. This will be understood from the theoretical perspectives of who has the right to have rights (Arendt, 2017) and who is grievable (Butler, 2016), as well as a holistic perspective on health using the concepts of health-lifestyle (Cockerham, 2005), empowerment and SOC- sense of coherence. This study asks: (1) How was the description of the need for care and rights for refugees and asylum seekers described in official documents? (2) How has the displacement shift in rights to health and the view of the need for care among refugees and asylum seekers looked like? and (3) What impact can the right to have rights and to be grievable have on the health issues of refugees and asylum seekers? A qualitative thematic document analysis was adopted with an exploratory design based on an inductive approach to the empirical material. A hermeneutic interpretation has been applied which means creating a deeper interpretation than the intellectually comprehensible knowledge. The result shows that the legal texts, propositions, public investigations, and reports have shifted towards a more decentralised structure with a more holistic perspective on health. Together with the witness seminars, this testifies that, paradoxically, it has led to a more individualised view of refugees, that they take responsibility for their health to a greater extent, whe

Bakgrund: Antalet flyktingar världen över ökar och fortsätter enligt UNHCR:s mätningar att öka och utgör därmed även en växande patientgrupp. Flyktingars tillgång till vård påverkas negativt av flertalet faktorer vilket kan ge allvarliga konsekvenser för deras hälsa. Sjuksköterskan är ofta flyktingarnas första kontakt med hälso- och sjukvården i ankomstlandet och spelar därför en viktig roll i att överkomma dessa hinder. Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att möta och vårda flyktingar inom hälso- och sjukvården. Metod: En kvalitativ litteraturstudie som följde Polit och Becks niostegsmodell, kvalitativa originalartiklar inkluderades och analyserades med tematisk analys enligt Braun och Clarke. Resultat: Tre teman med åtta underteman identifierades: Utmaningar i yrkesrollen med underteman att förstå varandra samt komplexitet och en vidgad yrkesroll. Känslor och dilemman och underteman svåra känslor och hanteringsstrategier, inställning till flyktingar samt etiska dilemman. Utmaningar för god omvårdnad med underteman strukturella hinder, behov av mer kunskap samt tid – en bristvara. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplever ett antal hinder i vården av flyktingar, varav kommunikationssvårigheter är det enskilt största. Här är tolken ett viktigt verktyg. Vidare forskning kring tolkar och deras funktion i vårdmötet behövs för att identifiera såväl framgångsfaktorer som hinder kring kommunikation via tolk., Background: The number of refugees worldwide is increasing and, according to UNHCR's measurements, continues to increase and thus also constitutes a growing patient group. Refugees' access to care is negatively affected by several factors, which can have serious consequences for their health. The nurse is often the refugees' first contact with health care in the country of arrival and therefore plays an important role in overcoming these obstacles. Aim: To describe nurses' experiences of meeting and caring for refugees within the health care system. Method: A qualitative literature study that followed Polit and Beck's nine-step model, qualitative original articles were included and analyzed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. Result: Three themes with eight sub-themes were identified. The main themes were challenges in the professional role, emotions and dilemmas and challenges for good nursing. Conclusion: Nurses experience several obstacles in the care of refugees, of which communication difficulties are the single greatest. Here the interpreter is an important tool. Further research on interpreters and their function in the care meeting is needed to identify both success factors and obstacles regarding communication via an interpreter.

Refugees from sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) face particular hardships, which demand adaptive responses. This pilot study explored SGM refugees’ experiences of resilience within the context of hardship from pre- to post-migration. Eleven semi-structured interviews with SGM refugees who had migrated to Sweden were analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: (1) Concealing Identity in Response to Pervasive Oppression, (2) Living in Suspension, (3) External Sources of Support and (4) Strength from Within. Respondents reported utilising limited external resources and employing considerable internal resources in order to navigate and survive in the face of hardships that carried over and shifted across time. A more nuanced understanding of the connections between resilience and hardship is needed to inform post-migration reception practices and service provision in order to facilitate resilience in SGM refugees.

This thesis aims at exploring the role of organizations in asylum seekers' access to volunteering in Wallonia, Belgium. In Belgium, volunteering has been allowed for asylum seekers since 2014. Studies made after 2014 in Wallonia have shown that volunteering can benefit asylum seekers. However, research on volunteering in other contexts has found that, while volunteering is often depicted as an inclusive practice, valuable for volunteers and society, inequalities restrict access to volunteering. Research on volunteering tended to focus on the individual characteristics and resources that make certain groups less likely to volunteer, but at the meso level, organizations also have a role in determining who can access volunteering. Based on semi-structured interviews with members of organizations, the analysis examines the management of volunteering for asylum seekers in Wallonia to understand how the organizations' practices facilitate or restrict access to volunteering. Findings show that a network of sending and receiving organizations, reception centers and volunteering organizations, shapes access to volunteering for asylum seekers. This network aims at creating links between asylum seekers and other parts of the population through volunteering. Throughout the promotion of volunteering and the selection of volunteers and volunteering opportunities, organizations adopt strategies to enhance asylum seekers' participation in volunteering and to lift obstacles restricting access to volunteering. However, some organizational practices, including this selection, lead to the exclusion of asylum seekers from volunteering.

The goal of this thesis is to provide a deeper understanding of the controversial issues surrounding the offshore asylum policy by concentrating on the political debates and arguments that are for and against the policies' activation. This will be done by following the structure of a Political Discourse but applying an Argumentation Analysis to the study. Furthermore, the thesis critically examines the application of liberal norms in the offshore policy of Denmark and the United Kingdom and explores the tensions that occur when liberal principles such as human rights, humanitarianism, and the rule of law overlap with the nation's concerns of immigration and border control. This will be done by analysing the historical changes, legal framework, and the implementation of the policy in Denmark and United Kingdom. Using a comparative case study approach, the thesis analyzes the Rwanda Asylum Plan in relation to similar offshore asylum policies implemented in other countries such as the Australian offshore processing policy.

The goal of this thesis is to provide a deeper understanding of the controversial issues surrounding the offshore asylum policy by concentrating on the political debates and arguments that are for and against the policies' activation. This will be done by following the structure of a Political Discourse but applying an Argumentation Analysis to the study. Furthermore, the thesis critically examines the application of liberal norms in the offshore policy of Denmark and the United Kingdom and explores the tensions that occur when liberal principles such as human rights, humanitarianism, and the rule of law overlap with the nation's concerns of immigration and border control. This will be done by analysing the historical changes, legal framework, and the implementation of the policy in Denmark and United Kingdom. Using a comparative case study approach, the thesis analyzes the Rwanda Asylum Plan in relation to similar offshore asylum policies implemented in other countries such as the Australian offshore processing policy.

This thesis addresses the pervasive influence of coloniality in the lived experiences of asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Based in intersectional and decolonial feminist theories and methodology, my aim was to centre the silenced narratives of this marginalised group. By highlighting the conditional nature of hospitality, which perpetuates the asymmetrical power imbalance between the superior ‘host’ and inferior ‘guest’, the aim was to show how coloniality impacts the social and ethical dimension of the lives of asylum seekers in the Netherlands. Simultaneously, I tried, together with the research participants, to find decolonial options to resist this coloniality, while proposing alternatives for a more humane and equitable decolonial otherwise. After conducting conversations with six asylum seeker men, I found that they face multiple colonial encounters on a daily basis, presenting in exclusionary patterns of racialization and victimisation, systems of control that erode their agency, while leaving them in a liminal state of uncertainty. With the use of thematic analysis, I concluded that decolonial resistance against this means the right to speak out, the right to refuse assimilation and the establishment of community that is grounded in relationality and pluriversality, rejecting the conditional nature of the existing colonial system, while welcoming everybody not as just guests, but as full members who are capable of co-creating a better, hospitable society and decolonial future.

The phenomenon of asylum seekers seeking refuge in foreign countries has become an intricate global challenge, often raising questions about successful integration and participation within host societies. This paper dwells on the multifaceted relationship between asylum seekers and their active engagement in the integration process. Drawing from interdisciplinary research encompassing psychology, peace and migration studies, the paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors that shape asylum seekers' participation and contributions to their host communities. The thesis provides a nuanced understanding of integration, emphasizing its multidimensional nature encompassing economic, social, cultural, and policy level dimensions. It then explores the barriers and facilitators that impact asylum seekers' participation in these dimensions, such as personal experiences, social attitudes, language proficiency, legal frameworks, and access to education and employment opportunities. Moreover, the study examines the role of host society's perception and attitudes in influencing asylum seekers' willingness and ability to integrate. Highlighting the significance of reciprocal interactions, the paper also investigates the ways in which asylum seekers' active engagement contributes to the host society's own integration process. This includes fostering intercultural communication, enriching diversity, and potentially challenging stereotypes and prejudices. The analysis sheds light on potential avenues for policy and practice interventions that can enhance the integration process and maximize the benefits of asylum seekers' participation. The research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the complexities surrounding asylum seekers’ integration and participation. Using a qualitative research framework, the research examined responses from 15 asylum seekers who had first-hand experience of the barriers and motivators to participating in integration programs. The study adopted

This thesis aims at exploring the role of organizations in asylum seekers' access to volunteering in Wallonia, Belgium. In Belgium, volunteering has been allowed for asylum seekers since 2014. Studies made after 2014 in Wallonia have shown that volunteering can benefit asylum seekers. However, research on volunteering in other contexts has found that, while volunteering is often depicted as an inclusive practice, valuable for volunteers and society, inequalities restrict access to volunteering. Research on volunteering tended to focus on the individual characteristics and resources that make certain groups less likely to volunteer, but at the meso level, organizations also have a role in determining who can access volunteering. Based on semi-structured interviews with members of organizations, the analysis examines the management of volunteering for asylum seekers in Wallonia to understand how the organizations' practices facilitate or restrict access to volunteering. Findings show that a network of sending and receiving organizations, reception centers and volunteering organizations, shapes access to volunteering for asylum seekers. This network aims at creating links between asylum seekers and other parts of the population through volunteering. Throughout the promotion of volunteering and the selection of volunteers and volunteering opportunities, organizations adopt strategies to enhance asylum seekers' participation in volunteering and to lift obstacles restricting access to volunteering. However, some organizational practices, including this selection, lead to the exclusion of asylum seekers from volunteering.

Background: In asylum seekers and refugees, the frequency of mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, is higher than the general population, but there is a lack of data on risk factors for the development of mental disorders in this population. Aim: This study investigated the risk factors for mental disorder development in a large group of asylum seekers and refugees resettled in high- and middle-income settings. Methods: Participant-level data from two randomized prevention studies involving asylum seekers and refugees resettled in Western European countries and in Turkey were pooled. The two studies randomized participants with psychological distress, but without a diagnosis of mental disorder, to the Self-Help Plus psychological intervention or enhanced care as usual. At baseline, exposure to potentially traumatic events was measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-part I, while psychological distress and depressive symptoms were assessed with the General Health Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire. After 3 and 6 months of follow-up, the proportion of participants who developed a mental disorder was calculated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: A total of 1,101 participants were included in the analysis. At 3- and 6-month follow-up the observed frequency of mental disorders was 13.51% (115/851) and 24.30% (207/852), respectively, while the frequency estimates after missing data imputation were 13.95% and 23.78%, respectively. After controlling for confounders, logistic regression analysis showed that participants with a lower education level (p =.034), a shorter duration of journey (p =.057) and arriving from countries with war-related contexts (p =.017), were more at risk of developing mental disorders. Psychological distress (p =.004), depression (p =.001) and exposure to potentially traumatic events (p =.020) were predictors of mental disorder development. Conclusi

By the end of 2022, 108 million people worldwide were forced to leave their home countries due to war, exile, or other threats to their safety. In transit, refugees face many stressful and traumatic experiences and travel in difficult conditions, which puts them at risk of developing psychological difficulties. Therefore, the aim of this study is to gain an insight into psychological difficulties, but also into indicators of the positive psychological functioning of the refugees; as well as comparison with the results obtained in previous years so as to be able to understand trends, and provide evidence-based guidelines for the improvement of policies and practices for the protection of refugee mental health. The research results showed that 87% of refugees were identified as psychologically vulnerable, whereof 61% were highly vulnerable, meaning that they require some sort of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services. Also, 67% of refugees were under acute distress, meaning they require intervention in a crisis or psychological first aid, after which it would be important to continue monitoring their condition and refer them to adequate interventions. Additionally, 39% of respondents were identified as depressed, 16% as anxious, and 21% had the symptoms of severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These data show an increase in psychological vulnerability and depression compared to the previous year, with a slight decrease in anxiety and PTSD, as well as stagnation in the frequency of persons under acute distress. People who had experienced pushback stood out as particularly psychologically vulnerable, as well as refugees who have just crossed the border and entered Serbia, those who plan to continue their journey to the destination country, and younger refugees. Nevertheless, the results show relative preservation of positive psychological functioning indicators – e.g. 85% of refugees reported that they are optimistic about the future, 83% believ