Mental Health Resources for Syrian Refugees in Urban Areas in Jordan: Challenges and Possibilities

Abstract

Mental health is an important, but relatively new area in humanitarian aid. Jordan hosts over 656,000 Syrian refugees along with a large number of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees. Over 80% of these Syrian refugees live outside of camps, in urban areas, and many of these refugees face significant stressors that affect their daily functioning. This thesis aims to contribute to the existing scholarship on this subject by examining the overall system for providing and accessing mental health for Syrian refugees in urban areas in Jordan. It looks more specifically into Syrian refugee communities and how these people are made aware of resources that are provided by international organizations. To conduct this research, existing literature on the subject was examined through online databases. Field research was also conducted in Jordan in the cities of Amman and Irbid. NGOs, psychiatrists, and psychologists were interviewed in these cities. Pharmacists, sheikhs, and Syrian refugees were also interviewed in refugee communities in these cities. This thesis finds that stigma and cultural factors are large barriers to refugees in receiving care. There is also a significant shortage of psychiatrists in Jordan. Refugees often cannot afford private services and are unaware of the free services offered by NGOs. The large variety of agencies working on this issue also creates issues of coordinating a referral system. There is also a lack of specialized services and services in remote areas. The main policy implications of this study show the need to provide greater incentives for university students to pursue psychiatrist licenses and for international psychiatrists to work in Jordan. It also suggests increasing long term funding for greater sustainability and increasing mental health training in non-specialist health care providers to help combat stigma. This thesis recommends that a systematic referral pathway be established between all agencies. It also recommends that referral pathways be established at the community level through training of Sheikhs and local pharmacists. Lastly, mental health service providers should advertise their services through SMS messages, Facebook, and TV. The findings of this thesis are significant because they greatly contribute to the limited research on the topic. Furthermore, the policy implications can lead to a more productive and efficient system of mental health. This would allow more refugees to receive care, which empowers refugees to contribute towards a better society in the region. It is also necessary for this system to be improved, if the services are to be expanded to more remote areas and to other refugees in the future that may come to Jordan.