My heart has no hurt: the health of young immigrants
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 1 August 2018
Issue publication date: 11 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore health from the perspective of young immigrants in Sweden.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 25 newly arrived young immigrants attending Swedish language classes in northern Sweden participated by drawing and writing open letters. They continued the open-ended sentence “Now I’ll draw and describe a day when I was feeling good, that was […].”
Findings
The phenomenological analysis resulted in three themes: longing to be in control for a better life, searching for power in the good and the bad, and striving for a sense of belonging in the new society. The findings illuminate young immigrants’ perspectives of a health-promoting everyday life consisting of agency, reflection and a sense of community. The findings also highlight the young immigrants’ experiences when health-promoting aspects are lacking, characterized by disillusionment, anxiety and loneliness. The findings are discussed with health promotion, health literacy and young immigrants in mind.
Practical implications
According to young immigrants, meeting basic needs such as food, sleep and housing is health promoting but easily taken for granted. Being able to have a say in matters concerning everyday life, social inclusion and finding power in memories – positive and negative – can promote health in young immigrants.
Originality/value
The young immigrants were able to communicate via drawings and words to overcome language barriers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
First of all, the authors would like to thank the young immigrants who participated. Thank you to the Head of Education, the School Development Manager and the language teachers for making this study possible. The study was supported by the Swedish National Agency for Education, The Public Health Center at Norrbotten County Council, the Department of Health Science at Luleå University of Technology, and the School of Health and Welfare at Halmstad University. Additionally, the authors appreciate Riksbankens Jubileumsfond – the Swedish Foundations for Humanities and Social Science – enabling this study by their financing of the national Flexit research program.
Citation
Bergstrom-Wuolo, M., Dahlström, J., Hertting, K. and Kostenius, C. (2018), "My heart has no hurt: the health of young immigrants", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 290-304. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-02-2018-0004
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited