Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark
Refugees health status after receiving asylum in their new country is often poor, both physical and mentally. Despite that, European countries rarely offer programmes specifically targeted health and health behaviour for newly arrived refugees. This study investigated newly arrived refugees’ perspec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Migration and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623522000344 |
| _version_ | 1811187574838919168 |
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| author | Knud Ryom Camilla Bakkær Simonsen Stefan Runge Rau Helle Terkildsen Maindal Sine Agergaard |
| author_facet | Knud Ryom Camilla Bakkær Simonsen Stefan Runge Rau Helle Terkildsen Maindal Sine Agergaard |
| author_sort | Knud Ryom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Refugees health status after receiving asylum in their new country is often poor, both physical and mentally. Despite that, European countries rarely offer programmes specifically targeted health and health behaviour for newly arrived refugees. This study investigated newly arrived refugees’ perspective on health and in particularly physical activity (PA) upon granted asylum in Denmark. A transnational migration perspective provides the theoretical framework in this study. Semi-structured interviews with twenty newly arrived refugees provide data for the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Health manifests itself in varied ways to the newly arrived refugees and a broad and holistic perspective on health, was evident. Overall PA had important benefits, such as pain relief, better physical fitness, lose weight, a stronger body, to stay active, cater to mental health and in general something of interest to the newly arrived refugees. However, the informants experienced several barriers for doing PA and living healthy lives. Time, pain, low income, job insecurity, mental strain, discourse of health and PA (health promotion), external expectations and demands (municipality and government in Denmark), precariat living conditions and general worrying were amongst the most explicit barriers. Based on the results, we underline the importance of involving refugees in developing health promotion activities while considering of their unique experiences and transnational background. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:04:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-462db0ebb21646a7a662e2b8d18fb23a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6235 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:04:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Migration and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-462db0ebb21646a7a662e2b8d18fb23a2022-12-22T04:19:55ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352022-01-016100111Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in DenmarkKnud Ryom0Camilla Bakkær Simonsen1Stefan Runge Rau2Helle Terkildsen Maindal3Sine Agergaard4Department of Public Health, Section for Health Promotion and Population Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, Aarhus 8000, Denmark; Corresponding author.Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, DenmarkDepartment of Public Health, Section for Health Promotion and Population Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, Aarhus 8000, DenmarkDepartment of Public Health, Section for Health Promotion and Population Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, Aarhus 8000, Denmark; Steno Diabetes Centre Copenhagen, Health Promotion, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, DenmarkRefugees health status after receiving asylum in their new country is often poor, both physical and mentally. Despite that, European countries rarely offer programmes specifically targeted health and health behaviour for newly arrived refugees. This study investigated newly arrived refugees’ perspective on health and in particularly physical activity (PA) upon granted asylum in Denmark. A transnational migration perspective provides the theoretical framework in this study. Semi-structured interviews with twenty newly arrived refugees provide data for the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Health manifests itself in varied ways to the newly arrived refugees and a broad and holistic perspective on health, was evident. Overall PA had important benefits, such as pain relief, better physical fitness, lose weight, a stronger body, to stay active, cater to mental health and in general something of interest to the newly arrived refugees. However, the informants experienced several barriers for doing PA and living healthy lives. Time, pain, low income, job insecurity, mental strain, discourse of health and PA (health promotion), external expectations and demands (municipality and government in Denmark), precariat living conditions and general worrying were amongst the most explicit barriers. Based on the results, we underline the importance of involving refugees in developing health promotion activities while considering of their unique experiences and transnational background.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623522000344RefugeesHealthPhysical activity (PA)Transnational migration perspectiveHealth promotion |
| spellingShingle | Knud Ryom Camilla Bakkær Simonsen Stefan Runge Rau Helle Terkildsen Maindal Sine Agergaard Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark Journal of Migration and Health Refugees Health Physical activity (PA) Transnational migration perspective Health promotion |
| title | Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark |
| title_full | Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark |
| title_fullStr | Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark |
| title_full_unstemmed | Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark |
| title_short | Newly arrived refugees’ perception of health and physical activity in Denmark |
| title_sort | newly arrived refugees perception of health and physical activity in denmark |
| topic | Refugees Health Physical activity (PA) Transnational migration perspective Health promotion |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623522000344 |
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