Data presented in this report are drawn from a larger project investigating the health and welfare of Australia’s refugee and humanitarian entrant populations (AIHW 2023a). This larger project was funded by the Department of Home Affairs and involved linking the Settlement Database (Department of Home Affairs 2019) with other datasets available in the Person-level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA); formally known as the Multi Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP) (ABS n.d.). Linking the Settlement Database to the PLIDA enabled the identification and analysis of migrant status for deidentified individuals appearing within other PLIDA datasets
Abstract
Hazara refugees are highly vulnerable to trauma and other mental health challenges due to sustained ethnic and religious persecution. The post-migration difficulties experienced in Australia significantly heighten the risk of exacerbating these outcomes, while also highlighting the importance of identifying the various strengths and strategies that foster wellbeing. We conducted a scoping review to explore the mental health and wellbeing of Hazara refugees in Australia. A systematic database search was conducted across CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Twenty-one articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Our findings draw attention to the distinct gendered mental health and wellbeing experiences of Hazara refugees. We highlight the emotional and psychological harm caused by visa insecurity and restrictions post-migration, as well as the detrimental impacts of racism and discrimination. We also discuss barriers to accessing support services, and identify key strategies used by Hazara refugees to promote their wellbeing in Australia. Lastly, findings highlight the collective experiences of suffering and growth experienced by Hazara refugees, and the cumulative impacts that all stages of forced migration may have on post-migration outcomes. In doing so, this review provides a critical overview of the mental health and wellbeing experiences of Hazara refugees in Australia and provides important recommendations for researchers and practitioners working with this population.
Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Lifeline can also be accessed by phone at 13 11 14.
A Community Engagement Framework was developed through the Diverse Communities project to establish a model for engaging refugee and asylum seeker background communities into the mental health reforms. It outlines principles, key considerations, and strategies to facilitate meaningful engagement among these communities.
A tip sheet for mental health clinicians, counsellors and key workers working with children, young people and families from a refugee or asylum seeking background.
