Cultural Adaption of Mental Health Services to the Sami. a Qualitative Study on the Incorporation of Sami Language and Culture Into Mental Health Services
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Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Health and Care Sciences Cultural adaption of mental health services to the Sami. A qualitative study on the incorporation of Sami language and culture into mental health services. — Inger Dagsvold A dissertation for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor – June 2019 Cultural adaption of mental health services to the Sami A qualitative study on the incorporation of Sami language and culture into mental health services Inger Dagsvold Department of Health and Care Sciences Faculty of Health Sciences UiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø 2019 Front page photo: Inger Dagsvold Samene er forbausende lik andre folk, nemlig forskjellig. The Sami are astonishingly similar to other people, namely different. Ole Mathis Hætta Eadnái To my mother Table of contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iv Sami abstract. Čoahkkáigeassu ................................................................................................. vi Norwegian abstract. Sammendrag ........................................................................................... viii List of articles ............................................................................................................................. x 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Personal motivation ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 A moment of surprise .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Delimitation of the focus of the study ......................................................................... 2 1.4 Outline of the thesis ..................................................................................................... 2 2 Background ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Historical account: The Sami and the assimilation policy .......................................... 3 2.2 The revitalization process and contemporary Sami societies ...................................... 4 2.3 Sami languages ............................................................................................................ 7 2.4 Who is Sami? ............................................................................................................... 7 2.5 Health services to the Sami in Norway ....................................................................... 8 2.5.1 Sami patients’ rights to equitable health services ................................................ 9 2.5.2 Targeted mental health services to the Sami ...................................................... 11 3 Previous research .............................................................................................................. 15 3.1. Sami culture, ethnic identity, living conditions and mental health problems............ 15 3.2. Use of health services among the Sami ..................................................................... 16 3.3. The impact of Sami culture on the use and delivery of health services .................... 18 3.4. Cultural adaption of mental health services to the Sami ........................................... 19 3.5. The use of Sami language in mental health services ................................................. 20 4 Aims ................................................................................................................................. 23 5 Theoretical framework ..................................................................................................... 25 5.1 The concept of culture ............................................................................................... 25 5.2 Cultural adaption and cultural competence ............................................................... 26 5.3 Language use and bilingualism ................................................................................. 29 6 Methodology and methods ............................................................................................... 33 6.1 Sampling and recruitment .......................................................................................... 33 6.1.1 Choice of geographical area ............................................................................... 33 6.1.2 Recruitment and sample of clinicians ................................................................ 34 6.1.3 Recruitment and sample of patients ................................................................... 34 6.2 Data material .............................................................................................................. 35 6.2.1 Interviews ........................................................................................................... 35 6.3 Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 36 6.4 Ethical considerations ................................................................................................ 38 7 Results .............................................................................................................................. 41 7.1 Article 1 ..................................................................................................................... 41 7.2 Article 2 ..................................................................................................................... 42 7.3 Article 3 ..................................................................................................................... 43 8 Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 45 8.1 Discussion of methods ............................................................................................... 45 8.1.1 Changing the method ......................................................................................... 45 8.1.2 Reflexivity .......................................................................................................... 46 8.1.3 Interviews ........................................................................................................... 50 8.1.4 Transferability .................................................................................................... 51 8.2 Discussion of results .................................................................................................. 52 8.2.1 Sami culture as politics and practice .................................................................. 53 8.2.2 Cultural and linguistic adaptation at the institutional level ................................ 55 8.2.3 Cultural and linguistic adaption at the practitioner level ................................... 59 8.2.4 Cultural and linguistic adaptation at the intervention level ................................ 64 9 Concluding remarks ......................................................................................................... 69 9.1 Implications for practice and research ....................................................................... 70 References ................................................................................................................................ 73 Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Appendix i Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank the participants, who generously shared their time, stories, thoughts, and experiences with me. Your stories have taught me so much, and I do hope that others will learn from them as well. I am forever grateful. Thank you! I would also like to thank the managers of the institutions who allowed me to invite clinicians and patients at their institutions to participate in this study. This PhD-journey has indeed been a “long and winding road”. I am profoundly grateful and wish to extend my sincere thanks to my supervisors. First, I would like to thank Dr Philos Vigdis Stordahl and Dr Psychol Snefrid Møllersen. Both of you have supported and inspired me throughout this process. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, for always giving me valuable feedback and for lifting my spirits numerous times. You have always believed in me and inspired me to continue and to complete this PhD. At the end of this process, PhD Bodil Hansen Blix, became my main supervisor when Vigdis retired. Bodil, you completed my supervisor team of exceptional women. Thank you for your availability and patience for sharing your knowledge and for your valuable contributions. Also, I would like to thank Dr Med and Professor in Research Ann Ragnhild Broderstad and Professor Torunn Hamran, who were co-supervisors for short periods, and PhD Anne Silviken, who became the project leader after Vigdis. I am very grateful to the three of you, for your contributions during the process of changes in supervisor and institute, and your support and enthusiasm to the work with this thesis. This project received funding from The Sami Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, (SANKS), the Research Unit of Finnmark Hospital Trust, and the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority. Thank you!