Attitudes toward dementia and cognitive aging among Syrian refugees resettled in Jordan: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence is revealing disparities in cognitive function and heightened dementia risk among refugees, yet research in this area remains scant. Despite bearing most of the world's refugee burden, limited-resource countries like Jordan are facing challenges when dealing with refugee health. There is a lack of research on the attitudes toward dementia and the cognitive healthcare gaps among refugees in Jordan. METHODS: 32 older (≥ 55 years) Syrian refugees resettled in Jordan were recruited through a local community-based organization and interviewed in four focus groups (2 female and 2 male groups). Interviews were transcribed and translated, then coded using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Mean age of the sample was 60.1 years and 53.1% were female. Only 34.4% rated their memory as good or excellent. Themes were organized using the socioecological model: 1) At the individual level, participants believed high levels of stress, including low socioeconomic status, poor health, and traumatic history from their refugee experience increased their dementia risk. 2) Interpersonally, there is a fear of dementia due to the possible impact and burden on loved ones, particularly with the stigma surrounding dementia. 3) At the community level, participants noted that resettlement in Jordan - with a shared language, religion, and culture - offered protective effects due to facilitated access to social connection, information, and mental health self-care. 4) At the institution and policy level, participants believed older refugees faced restrictive policies for economic aid, healthcare, and employment, presenting a significant barrier to healthy aging. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study are the first to examine the attitudes of Syrian refugees in Jordan toward dementia and cognitive aging. These results could provide essential data inclusive of refugees as Jordan develops its National Dementia Plan. Investing in dementia awareness interventions and age-friendly neighborhoods may benefit aging refugees in limited-resources settings.

Impact of United States refugee ban and discrimination on the mental health of hypertensive Arabic-speaking refugees.

Background: Hypertension is a global leading cause of death which disproportionately affects refugees. This chronic disease increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, brain, and other end-organ disease, if left uncontrolled. The 2017 United States travel or "Muslim" ban prevented immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, including Syria and Iraq; two major contributors to the global refugee population. As of 2020, the United States has admitted more than 133,000 and 22,000 Iraqi and Syrian refugees, respectively. Studies on the health effects of this policy on refugees are lacking. This study qualitatively explores the impact of the refugee ban on United States resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugees with hypertension. Methods: Participants were recruited through a federally qualified health center system that is the largest healthcare provider for refugees in San Diego, CA. All participants were Arabic-speaking refugees diagnosed with hypertension from Syria and Iraq. In-depth interviews took place between April 2021 and April 2022. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze data from semi-structured interviews. Results: Participants (N = 109) include 53 women and 56 men (23 Syrian, 86 Iraqi). The average age was 61.3 years (SD: 9.7) and stay in the United States was 9.5 years (SD 5.92). Four themes emerged linking the travel ban's impact on health, in line with the society to cells framework: (1) family factors: the refugee ban resulted in family separation; (2) physiological factors: the refugee ban worsened participants' mental health, exacerbating hypertension and perceived health outcomes; (3) community factors: perpetuation of Islamophobia, xenophobia, and perceived discrimination were structural barriers with links to poorer health; and (4) individual factors: trickle down consequences led to worsened participant self-image and self-perception within their host community. Discussion: The refugee ban negatively impacted the mental and physical health of United States resettled Arabic-speaking refugees through perceived discrimination, stress, and poor social integration. It continues to have long-lasting effects years after the ban was instated. Centering family reunification within the United States Refugee Admissions Program and tailoring interventions through the healthcare and public health systems are warranted to reduce hypertension disparities in this growing and overlooked population.

The influences of faith on illness representations and coping procedures of mental and cognitive health among aging Arab refugees: a qualitative study.

Introduction: Refugees experience higher rates of mental illness such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which are documented risk factors for dementia. Faith and spiritual practices have been shown to play a significant role in patients' understanding and coping with illness, however, this field of study among refugee populations remains lacking. This study aims to address this literature gap by examining the role of faith on mental health and cognitive health among Arab refugees resettled in Arab and Western countries. Materials and methods: A total of 61 Arab refugees were recruited through ethnic community-based organizations in San Diego, California, United States (N = 29) and Amman, Jordan (N = 32). Participants were interviewed through in-depth, semi-structured interviews or focus groups. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed, translated, and coded using inductive thematic analysis and organized based on Leventhal's Self-Regulation Model. Results: Faith and spiritual practices significantly impact participants' illness perceptions and coping procedures regardless of resettlement country or gender. Several themes emerged: (1) participants believe in the interdependent relationship between mental and cognitive health. (2) There is a self-awareness of the impact of the refugee experience and trauma on participants' mental health problems, leading to a belief of increased personal risk for developing dementia. (3) Spiritual fatalism (belief that events are predetermined by God, fate, or destiny) greatly informs these perceptions of mental and cognitive health. (4) Participants acknowledge that practicing faith improves their mental and cognitive health, and many read scripture to prevent dementia. (5) Finally, spiritual gratitude and trust are important coping procedures that build resilience among participants. Conclusions: Faith and spirituality play an important role in shaping Arab refugees' illness representations and coping procedures of mental and cognitive health. Holistic public health and clinical interventions tailored to the spiritual needs of aging refugees and incorporating religion in prevention strategies are increasingly needed to improve the brain health and wellbeing of refugees.