ArticleConflict and health2021
Escaping the past and living in the present: a qualitative exploration of substance use among Syrian male refugees in Germany.
Article in Conflict and health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Substance use outcomes in first- and second- generation of immigrants: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Review
- Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Students at the University of Pristina-Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Special needs of refugees with substance use disorders from conflict-affected countries: a comparison with German-born individuals.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2025Observational
- Good practice in reaching and treating refugees in addiction care in Germany - a Delphi study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- War, forced displacement, and alcohol abuse: experiences and perceptions of war-affected south Sudanese refugee youth living in Bidibidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Challenges in substance use treatment as perceived by professionals and Arabic-speaking refugees in Germany.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2023Article
- Alcohol and other drug use patterns and services in an integrated refugee settlement in Northern Zambia: a formative research study.Conflict and health · 2023Article
- Substance (mis)use among refugees as a matter of social ecology: insights into a multi-site rapid assessment in Germany.Conflict and health · 2023Article
- Challenges in health care services for refugees in Cologne, Germany: A providers' perspective using a mixed-methods approach.Journal of migration and health · 2023Article
- Article
- The burden of substance use and (mental) distress among asylum seekers: a cross sectional study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Addressing the Mental Health Challenges of Refugees-A Regional Network-Based Approach in Middle Hesse Germany.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Alcohol use among Congolese Babembe male refugees in Tarrant County: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2022Article
- STARC-SUD - Adaptation of a Transdiagnostic Intervention for Refugees With Substance Use Disorders.Clinical psychology in Europe · 2021Article
- Priorities for addressing substance use disorder in humanitarian settings.Conflict and health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSyrians have been the largest group of refugees in Germany since 2014. Little is known about Syrian refugees` perspectives on substance use. The aim of this study is to investigate the perspective of male refugees from Syria and to foster specific knowledge and understanding of substance use.
methodsWe applied a qualitative study design. Five semi-structured focus group discussions with a total of 19 refugees were conducted in 2019 among the difficult to reach population of Syrian refugees. Audio recordings were translated and transcribed. We used a hybrid approach by integrating inductive and deductive thematic frameworks.
resultsWe identified common themes. Firstly, refugees perceived that substances are widely available and accepted in Germany. Secondly, refugees perceived that rules and norms in Germany differ from rules and norms in the home country and favor availability of substances. Thirdly, substance use is related to the intention to escape the past. Fourthly, substance use is related to living in the present through connecting with others and being part of the community. Finally, mental health professional treatment for substance use is associated with shame.
conclusionsFindings support Syrian refugees` perspectives of substance use as a way of both escaping the past and coping with psychosocial difficulties in the present in a socio-ecological understanding. Understanding the explanatory model of Syrian refugees can inform future interventions to prevent substance abuse and design tailored interventions. Further studies with Syrian refugees in more countries are needed to better understand resettled refugees` perspectives on substance use.
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