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While the literature contains plenty of theoretical models for cultural competence training of health care staff, the personnel and clinicians have seldom been asked for their views on transcultural competence. Focus group interviews that we carried out in this study showed that the main concern of the participants (interprofessional teams in Swedish psychiatry) is to understand the culturally diverse in psychiatry, rather than being culturally competent. Three major themes of the process of understanding emerged in our analyses: (1) diversity reflection (sub‐themes: reflecting on co‐existent cultural differences and similarities, moving from a one‐dimensional to a multi‐dimensional approach to cultural diversity and self‐reflection), (2) cultural knowledge and skill acquisition (generic and specific) and (3) communication (sources, discrimination). Listening to staff's learning needs may motivate greater sensitivity to the needs of their culturally diverse patients.

In order to investigate the potential of refugee resettlement programmes as mental healthpromoting settings, this study examines resettlement staff's constructions of refugees' health in everyday episodes within the resettlement programme. Everyday episodes relating to refugees' health were collected through individual and group interviews with 28 members of staff, and analysed using grounded theory methodology. The constructions of health in these episodes focused on mental health, the latter understood as a concept stressing the dynamic fit between person, programme and external environment. If a comprehensive strategy focusing on creating mental health among refugees through inter‐sectoral co‐ordination is developed, resettlement programmes can probably be developed into mental health‐promoting settings. The model proposed in this paper could be a good starting point to further this programme and policy development.

This study aims to illuminate self‐perceived health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among newly‐arrived Arabic‐speaking refugees in Malmö, Sweden participating in a specific group Health Promotion activity.

Data consist of questionnaires, observations and oral evaluations in groups. Questions about HRQoL was measured by EQ‐5D self‐assessment containing five dimensions and three response options of severity, including a visual analog health rating scale. Participants' sleep patterns were measured by a sleep and recovery questionnaire with questions about sleep quality and sleep quantity.

The results show that disturbed sleep relates to EQ‐5D variables and to health rating scores. Moreover, there are changes over time and participants' perceptions of their health and quality of life in most EQ‐5D variables have significantly increased after the end of activity. In the variables pain and depression an improvement remains even at second follow up and health rating scores are higher at both follow ups relative to what it was originally. Sleep and recovery problems were perceived as less difficult at the course completion and second follow up.

Because of practical and ethical reasons there is an absence of a control group in this study.

The paper includes implications for education in medicine, health care and social work, for the design of the refugee reception programs and for the inter‐professional collaborations.

The paper shows that health promotion interventions in group setting in the first stage of resettlement turn out to be useful according to HRQoL and knowledge of the health care system.

The aim of this paper is to explore mental ill health among newly arrived immigrants to Sweden, in relation to their legal status and previous exposure to threats, violence and separation and to investigate how their health care needs were met.

Records of health interviews and examinations performed January 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011, in one of six eligible primary health care centers (PHCC) in Stockholm County, Sweden were analysed.

In total, 555 records were collected and reviewed with regard to: age, sex, legal status (asylum seekers and others), exposure to threats and/or violence, exposure to separation from family member, symptoms or diagnoses, and measures taken. Reported symptoms of mental ill health were labeled mental ill health. Where health interviews led to medical examination, records from these were retrieved to investigate the care offered and given. Reporting symptoms of mental ill health was common (43 percent) among the study population. Exposure to threats and violence and separation was more common among asylum seekers who also tended to be more vulnerable to mental ill health than others who had experienced similar exposure.

The health care system should consider the eco‐social conditions that favor recovery. A more generous policy of access to health care among adult asylum seekers is needed and could be an important part of the social stability during the asylum process and in the integration process.

The study demonstrates the need for more structured studies of mental health among asylum seekers in Sweden.