How can a care manager at the primary care centre support foreign-born female patients suffering from common mental disorders? - An interview study

Background Difficulty in communicating can lead to stressful situations both for foreign-born female patients suffering from common mental disorders (CMDs) and for the health care professionals. Aim The aim of the study was to explore how foreign-born female patients with CMDs experienced their health care encounters and how they perceived a care manager could be a support during their illness, as well as to explore the care managers' perceptions and experiences concerning this group. Methods A qualitative method with semi-structured interview was chosen. The data were analysed with systematic text condensation. The study was conducted in primary care in western Sweden. Eight Persian-speaking female patients were recruited by the snowball method and participated in the study. Furthermore, nine care managers participated. Results Foreign-born female patients felt shame and anxiety because of language difficulties, interpreter presence, mental illness, and feelings of dependency. The care managers and the patients felt that physical meetings, access to translated assessment scales and female telephone interpreters, and early and continuous contact and access to health care personnel with a similar cultural background could facilitate communication. Conclusion In order to facilitate mutual understanding and knowledge, accessibility and continuity of health care are needed to enable foreign-born female patients with CMD to support their own health development. Female interpreters, telephone interpreting, translated scales, and telephone contacts combined with face-to-face visits could facilitate communication.