The Meaning of Health and Help-Seeking Behaviours Among Refugees Who Have Experienced Collective Violence Prior to Emigration: A Canadian Perspective

An interpretative phenomenological approach with a purposive sample of 3 men and 3 women was employed to explore the meaning of health and help-seeking behaviours of refugees living in Canada who have experienced collective violence in their countries of origin. Prior to migration, the participants’ meaning of health and help-seeking behaviours were fashioned by their embodied experience of life as nonexistent and meaningless. Post migration, their past lived experience of collective violence continued to shape their perceptions of their health and help-seeking behaviours. Participants call for a restructured system offering specialized mental health services for this population.