Isolation, exclusion cause of suicide among American-Bhutanese: Report
Isolation, exclusion and loneliness were the major cause of suicide among the resettled Bhutanese in the United States of America, a new research has concluded.
The report by Global Mental Health, said the other factors contributing to this situation include difficulties relating to acculturation, citizenship, employment and finances, language, and literacy at the societal level.
Researchers conducted focus groups interviews with 83 resettled Bhutanese (adults and children), to explore the perceived causes, and risk and protective factors for suicide, at individual, family, community, and societal levels. Audio recordings were translated and transcribed, and inductive thematic analysis conducted.
The report said, shifting dynamics and conflict within the family are pervasive and challenging. Within the community, there is a high prevalence of suicide, yet major barriers to communicating with others about distress and suicidality.
The report recommended the necessity for future intervention models of suicide to move beyond an individual focus, and consider factors at all levels of refugees’ social-ecology. Simply focusing treatment at the individual level is not sufficient. Researchers and practitioners should strive for community-driven, culturally relevant, socio-ecological approaches for prevention and treatment.