Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Mental health and wellbeing is a global public health concern. However, there is limited evidence on managing the mental health needs of the Nepalese migrant population in the UK. This paper is focused on exploring coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant...

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Main Authors: Lalita Kumari Sah, Rajeeb Kumar Sah, Devendra Raj Singh, Rochelle A Burgess
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310832
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author Lalita Kumari Sah
Rajeeb Kumar Sah
Devendra Raj Singh
Rochelle A Burgess
author_facet Lalita Kumari Sah
Rajeeb Kumar Sah
Devendra Raj Singh
Rochelle A Burgess
author_sort Lalita Kumari Sah
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Mental health and wellbeing is a global public health concern. However, there is limited evidence on managing the mental health needs of the Nepalese migrant population in the UK. This paper is focused on exploring coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women in managing their mental distress.<h4>Methods</h4>A qualitative study informed by a narrative approach was conducted among twenty Nepalese older women living in London. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.<h4>Results</h4>Findings identified three major coping strategies used by Nepalese older women: i) Engaging others to access human, social and economic resources in problem focussed strategies; ii) Using emotion-focussed strategies through drawing on human and social resources; and iii) Employing emotion-focussed strategies through prayer and acceptance. Each strategy reflected the strategic use of existing resources, highlighting a strong sense of ownership over their mental wellbeing.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Nepalese women used both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies to manage their mental distress while living in the UK. However, they had poor awareness of the availability or potential benefits of mental health services in managing their distress and were not able to identify their everyday survival as strengths. We assert social interventions that build on women's abilities are essential to promote mental health and wellbeing.
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spelling doaj-art-d3c26dd44e1b47fab95db741f268dfa62024-12-17T05:31:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011912e031083210.1371/journal.pone.0310832Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.Lalita Kumari SahRajeeb Kumar SahDevendra Raj SinghRochelle A Burgess<h4>Introduction</h4>Mental health and wellbeing is a global public health concern. However, there is limited evidence on managing the mental health needs of the Nepalese migrant population in the UK. This paper is focused on exploring coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women in managing their mental distress.<h4>Methods</h4>A qualitative study informed by a narrative approach was conducted among twenty Nepalese older women living in London. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.<h4>Results</h4>Findings identified three major coping strategies used by Nepalese older women: i) Engaging others to access human, social and economic resources in problem focussed strategies; ii) Using emotion-focussed strategies through drawing on human and social resources; and iii) Employing emotion-focussed strategies through prayer and acceptance. Each strategy reflected the strategic use of existing resources, highlighting a strong sense of ownership over their mental wellbeing.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Nepalese women used both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies to manage their mental distress while living in the UK. However, they had poor awareness of the availability or potential benefits of mental health services in managing their distress and were not able to identify their everyday survival as strengths. We assert social interventions that build on women's abilities are essential to promote mental health and wellbeing.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310832
spellingShingle Lalita Kumari Sah
Rajeeb Kumar Sah
Devendra Raj Singh
Rochelle A Burgess
Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
PLoS ONE
title Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
title_full Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
title_fullStr Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
title_full_unstemmed Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
title_short Coping strategies employed by older Nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the UK: A qualitative research.
title_sort coping strategies employed by older nepalese migrant women to manage their mental distress in the uk a qualitative research
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310832
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