Methodological Challenges in Conducting Research with Refugee Women

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a 10-week community-based, culturally tailored mental health intervention, called Healthy Sudanese Families, with 12 South Sudanese refugee women living in a metropolitan area of the Midwestern United States. This mixed-methods study used the Dinka and Arabic versions of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 to measure indicators of anxiety and depression and a final focus group to evaluate the women's responses to the intervention. The women found the mental health intervention acceptable and relevant. Methodological challenges encountered in cross-cultural research with refugees are discussed.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the South Sudanese refugee community, particularly the refugee women who participated in this study and the pastors of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church who provided them with the support and resources to carry out this study.

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the funding from the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Research Institute through the Frontiers Clinical Translation Research Award (CTSA) NCATS #UL1TR000001.