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IADE-U – Dissertações de Mestrado

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http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/5163

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Browsing IADE-U – Dissertações de Mestrado by Subject "Accessibility"

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  • Enhancing refugees’ access to mental health support services through “MENTIS: The Refugees’ Hub" - A service design proposal
    Publication . Almeida, Joana Isabel Pousada da Rocha; Duarte, Emília
    The World Health Organisation highlights the importance of mental health, defined as a state of well-being that enables individuals to cope with stress. The need for action in this area is indisputable and urgent. However, this area is still subject to various personal and social barriers, especially among vulnerable populations such as war refugees. Portugal, as a host country, faces systemic and organizational challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in refugees. This research explores the use of Service Design, following a Human Centred Design approach, to improve accessibility to mental health support for refugees. The study assesses the existing needs of Ukrainian refugee communities in terms of access to existing mental health support. In more detail, the study evaluates the most pressing barriers and the weight they have within the problem of accessibility. With the knowledge acquired during the process, a service proposal was created that is suited to the needs of this community. Finally, the study evaluates the extent to which the service created meets the interests and needs of its users. The research is guided by a mixed methodological approach, which includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. The methods included a literature review, stakeholder interviews, desk research, and Service Design methodologies that involved creating a service and evaluating that proposal. The results emphasize the importance of collaborative approaches in improving access to mental health support for refugees. This research provides valuable information for future research.
    2023-12Master thesis Open access Show more