Constant connections: piloting a mobile phone-based peer support program for Nuer (southern Sudanese) women

Abstract

Refugee women have poor psychosocial health as a result of past trauma and difficulties associated with settlement. This study was a pilot to find out how to use mobile phone-based peer support to improve the psychosocial health of, and facilitate settlement in a group of nine Nuer refugee women in Melbourne, Australia. Nine participants recruited by a community leader received peer support training over two five-week periods. They were further provided with mobile phone recharge vouchers to call one another to practice peer support techniques. The fifth and final sessions were focus groups to evaluate the intervention. Notes from the focus groups were thematically analysed. The women reported greater confidence and empowerment as they received more support, had better connections within the group and better access to information. Relationships with friends, family and the community became richer as they adopted and experienced more functional communication patterns. Using mobile phones for peer support helped to re-create community by bridging the geographical distance that separates refugee women. It allowed the women, from similar backgrounds and with similar experiences, to provide mutual support and exchange information through a verbal channel, the form of communication they are most comfortable with. The program demonstrates the positive psychosocial effect of peer support in a refugee community, and provides a viable model for using mobile phones in health promotion interventions. The successful outcomes, as perceived by the participants, are indicative of the potential of using technology to bridge health inequities in a marginalised group.

Developing a typology of mobile phone usage in social care: A critical review of the literature

“…• Potential challenges presented by these new technologies (issues of privacy, confidentiality and possible surveillance and concerns over T A B L E 1 Search terms used in the scoping review Technology Relationship Service user "mobile phone" OR "mobile device" OR "mobile communication" OR "mobile technolog*" OR "mobile media" OR "cell* phone" OR "cell* device" OR "cell* communication" OR "communication technolog*" OR "cell* technolog*" OR "cell* media" OR smartphone OR "social media" OR "personal communication device" the unregulated development of "apps" or applications that can be used by phones) Interventions focusing on peer support reported positive benefits (Barlott et al, 2015;Hackett, Johnson, Shaw, & McDonagh, 2005;Walker et al, 2015;Wollersheim, Koh, Walker, & Liamputtong, 2013). While there were examples in many of these studies of participants for whom the intervention was less effective, only Daker-White and Rogers (2013) reported overall negative results.…”

“…Wollersheim et al. 's () pilot and Walker et al. 's () subsequent study reported an intervention providing peer support training and mobile phones with free calls to refugee women who had migrated to Australia.…”

“…() and Wollersheim et al. () suggests potential for cost‐effective service provision by developing the self‐efficacy and social capital of service users and training them to support each other may reduce reliance on other services. However, none of these studies were undertaken in the UK context.…”

Syrian Refugees and Digital Health in Lebanon

“…Refugee research literature has some examples of the effectiveness of utilizing peer support groups. Successful peer support models have been used to improve the perceived mental health of refugees and immigrants, and to aid them in their resettlement process [8,37]. Wollersheim et al [37] found that sharing of experiences and information via improved mobile phone communications enhanced the psychosocial wellbeing of a group of nine Sudanese female refugees.…”

“…Successful peer support models have been used to improve the perceived mental health of refugees and immigrants, and to aid them in their resettlement process [8,37]. Wollersheim et al [37] found that sharing of experiences and information via improved mobile phone communications enhanced the psychosocial wellbeing of a group of nine Sudanese female refugees. Likewise, peer-topeer workshops conducted among West African refugees in Australia were found to be effective in improving community knowledge regarding HIV and sexual health [8].…”