Date of Conferral

4-30-2025

Date of Award

April 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

Compreca Martin

Abstract

Refugees coming to the United States may encounter difficulties when receiving mental healthcare services from outpatient mental healthcare centers because of lack of awareness about services. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore experiences of Bhutanese refugees involving receiving services from outpatient mental healthcare centers in the United States. The health belief model was used as a conceptual framework to provide insights regarding Bhutanese refugees’ perceived benefits and barriers to increase awareness. Using convenience sampling, 10 Bhutanese refugees aged 18 or above who received outpatient mental healthcare services currently or in the past and lived in the midwestern United States were selected to participate in this study. Semi-structured interviews using open-ended questions were used via face-to-face. Interviews were conducted in Nepali. Data were transcribed and translated and analyzed using thematic analysis, which revealed six overarching themes supported by current literature: complex scheduling system challenges involving receiving services on a timely basis, unavailability in terms of access to provider delays when receiving mental health services, poor connections between providers and refugees which reduce treatment adherence, communication gap between providers and refugee which impede receiving services, lack of culturally-sensitive care and awareness programs which reduce quality services, and the importance of patient advocates to bridge aforementioned barriers. Results of this study promote social change, awareness, and providing mental healthcare services to Bhutanese refugee populations.

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