Overview of challenges faced by refugees following resettlement in Houston, Texas: a qualitative study at five refugee resettlement agencies
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 26 November 2021
Issue publication date: 10 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conduct a qualitative needs assessment to explore the effectiveness of Houston’s refugee resettlement efforts in the areas of employment, health care and education.
Design/methodology/approach
Using referral sampling, the authors identified refugee community leaders and staff members at the five refugee resettlement agencies in Houston. The authors conducted 29 qualitative interviews with these contacts from February–August 2017.
Findings
Recently resettled refugees may struggle to find and maintain employment in Houston due to difficulty accessing public transportation. Refugees seeking medical care in Houston often have difficulty navigating the complexities of the health-care system and communicating with their physicians due to language barriers. Finally, refugee children may have trouble adapting to Houston public schools, sometimes because they have limited experience with formal education. This study provided insights into the challenges Houston refugees face during resettlement and these barriers can be mitigated with policies designed specifically to address them.
Practical implications
The authors recommend decreasing public transportation fees for refugees, supporting programs that donate used vehicles to refugees, expanding access to English as a Second Language classes for refugee children and adults and giving refugees designated time to learn English upon arrival.
Originality/value
Houston welcomes more resettled refugees than any other American city. However, few studies have explored the barriers refugees face during the resettlement process.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the resettlement agency staff and community members who shared their insights and contributed to this study. They would also like to thank Dr Karla Fredricks for the suggestions she made regarding publication based on her expertise in the field.
Citation
Kaplan, J., Lazarescou, N., Huang, S., Ali, S., Banu, S., Du, Y.B. and Shrestha, S. (2022), "Overview of challenges faced by refugees following resettlement in Houston, Texas: a qualitative study at five refugee resettlement agencies", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-01-2021-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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