Patients’ Perspectives of the Work of The Refugee Children’s Team in Gothenburg

Abstract

Degree Project Thesis, Programme in Medicine. TITLE: Patients’ Perspectives of the Work of The Refugee Children’s Team in Gothenburg. This study aimed to investigate the work of the Refugee Children’s Team from the refugee children’s point of view. By using a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews, the ambition was to highlight the benefits, if any, of this service as experienced by children and adolescents who had completed their treatment at the service, as well as to elicit their suggestions for possible improvements in the team’s work. Six interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis, which resulted in six main themes: benefits regarding the treatment of the patient, benefits regarding other aspects of the care given, improvements regarding treatment, improvements regarding the transfer to adult mental health, issues to bear in mind when treating refugee children and practicalities to be improved. The results showed that the experiences of treatment offered by the Refugee Children’s Team differed considerably across different individuals/patients. When the treatment had been experienced as most beneficial, it had been supportive of building a secure base in one’s new life in Sweden, so that the integration process into society as well as making friends and contacts could continue. One of the most important factors for experiencing the care as beneficial and helpful was for patients to gain confidence in their health care provider and that a trusting relationship was developed between them, whereby patients felt safe and comfortable while telling their story. The study’s findings also indicated that the routines for involving patients in deciding the main focus as well as in the choice of treatment could be improved. Keywords: refugee children, children’s mental health care, patient-centered care, trauma