Alcohol, Other Drugs Use and Mental Health among African Migrant Youths in South Australia

Abstract

This paper was part of a large study that explored suicide among African youths in South Australia. The paper reports perspectives about alcohol and other drugs (AOD) use and mental health among African migrant and refugee youths in South Australia. The study employed a qualitative inquiry, conducting 23 individual interviews and one focus group discussion with eight participants. An acculturative stress model informed data analysis, interpretation and the discussion of the findings that form the current paper. African migrant and refugee youths revealed challenging stressors, including related to cultural, socioeconomic, living conditions, and pre- and post-migration factors that contributed to mental health problems and the use of AOD in their new country. The traumatic loss of family members and social disruption experienced in their countries of origin were expressed as part of factors leading to migration to Australia. While in Australia, African migrant and refugee youths experienced substantial stressors related to inadequate socioeconomic and cultural support, discrimination, poverty, and unemployment. Participants believed that differences in cultural perspectives about AOD use that existed in Africa and Australia also shaped the experiences of social stressors. Additionally, participants believed that these cultural differences and the identified stressors determined AOD use and mental health problems. The findings highlight the need to understand these social and cultural contexts to improve mental health services and help reduce the use of AOD, which, when problematic, can influence the health and integration experiences of these populations.

War, forced displacement, and alcohol abuse: experiences and perceptions of war-affected south Sudanese refugee youth living in Bidibidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda

“…In addition, participants reported extremely stressful and prolonged settlement issues such as lack of employment, lack of education, and struggles associated with acculturation, extreme weather conditions, inadequate housing, food insecurity, and language barriers. These findings support previous evidence that experiences of severe resettlement challenges may predispose young people with refugee backgrounds to a wide range of poor health and social behavioral outcomes ( 19 , 43 ). Additionally, researchers ( 9 ) have reported the association between a prolonged stay in harsh refugee camp settings and substance abuse among Congolese refugees.…”

“…Some are born to parents who are refugees and are thus second-generation refugees. ( 18 , 19 ). Living in a community where there is very little hope and limited upward social mobility can be frustrating for many young people, potentially resulting in negative coping behaviors like alcohol abuse ( 20 ).…”

A qualitative study exploring young offenders’ perspectives on alcohol and other drug health promotion

“…Tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use contributes significantly to increased chronic illness, injury and premature death, and remains among the leading risk factors contributing to the burden of disease in Australia [ 2 ]. Drug and alcohol problems are made even more intricate by layers of co-morbidity, for example the dual diagnosis of mental illness and problematic patterns of substance use [ 3 – 5 ], and is at times further complicated by a myriad of sociocultural factors that can impact upon an individual’s capacity to seek effective support [ 6 , 7 ]. To apply a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to prevention, early intervention or treatment would assume a myopic understanding of what contributes to drug use, ignoring the many factors that can shape and influence health behaviours [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Social Integration and Health Among Young Migrants in China: Mediated by Social Mentality and Moderated by Gender

“…According to the seventh national census, China’s internal migrants numbered 376 million in 2020, accounting for one-fourth of the total population, of which 73.6% were under 40 years old ( Cheng and Duan, 2021 ; National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2021 ). A growing number of evidence indicate that frequent mobility and the traumatic events that it brings lead to health attrition among young migrants ( Mwanri and Mude, 2021 ). The expedited economic development in China has deepened inequalities in the society, causing a decline in social trust and public confidence about the future ( Su et al, 2019 ).…”