{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]],"date-time":"2026-05-09T09:16:10Z","timestamp":1778318170547,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5-6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,28]],"date-time":"2017-04-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1493337600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Transcult Psychiatry"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> Millions of refugees are on the move globally, mostly settling in low- and middle-income (LMIC) \u201chost\u201d countries, where they often receive insufficient assistance and encounter a multitude of barriers. Despite a risk for developing mental illness, limited research exists on their struggles and coping strategies in these settings, especially outside of camps. Against this backdrop, our qualitative study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of refugee experiences in Durban, South Africa. We conducted semistructured individual interviews with 18 adult refugees from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo at a community-based support center in Durban. Participants described their problems, effects on mental health, and coping abilities. Interviews were recorded and analyzed for themes. Major problems were reported with work, xenophobia\/racism, mental health, physical safety, housing, healthcare, and quality of life. Participants discussed feelings of worry, fear, emotional pain, anger, powerlessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and passive suicidal ideation. Coping mechanisms consisted of friendships, church, praying, work, physical activities, family, learning the local language, and avoidance of thoughts. Many interviewees expressed a strong desire to either return to their homeland or move elsewhere. Refugees in South Africa face considerable hardships including xenophobia, physical abuse, and work\/legal obstructions. More research is needed in LMICs to identify the challenges, psychological effects, and coping in such populations so that appropriate and accessible mental health services can be created for those who require them. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1363461517705570","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,28]],"date-time":"2017-04-28T14:33:22Z","timestamp":1493390002000},"page":"696-714","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":22,"title":["At zero and turning in circles: refugee experiences and coping in Durban, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"54","author":[{"given":"Charlotte A.","family":"Labys","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of KwaZulu-Natal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chandr\u00e9","family":"Dreyer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of KwaZulu-Natal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jonathan K.","family":"Burns","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of KwaZulu-Natal"},{"name":"University of Exeter"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1363461517705570","unstructured":"African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS). (2011). Towards improving forced migrant access to health and psychosocial rights in urban South Africa: A focus on Johannesburg (Migration Issue Brief No. 8). Johannesburg, South Africa: Author."},{"key":"bibr2-1363461517705570","unstructured":"Amisi, B. & Ballard, R. (2005). In the absence of citizenship: Congolese refugee struggle and organization in South Africa. Retrieved from http:\/\/repository.forcedmigration.org\/show_metadata.jsp?pid=fmo:5797."},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr3-1363461517705570","first-page":"92","volume":"20","author":"Bandeira M.","year":"2010","journal-title":"Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr4-1363461517705570","first-page":"1","volume":"23","author":"Bolton P.","year":"2013","journal-title":"Torture: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture"},{"key":"bibr5-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S1049023X00001540"},{"key":"bibr6-1363461517705570","first-page":"99","volume":"6","author":"Burns J. 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Retrieved from http:\/\/www.hsrc.ac.za\/en\/review\/hsrc-review-november-2014\/limitations-of-gini-index."},{"key":"bibr16-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5249\/jivr.v5i1.185"},{"key":"bibr17-1363461517705570","volume-title":"Migration and health in South Africa: A review of the current situation and recommendations for achieving the World Health Assembly Resolution on the Health of Migrants","author":"International Organization for Migration (IOM)","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr18-1363461517705570","volume-title":"The economic life of refugees","author":"Jacobsen K.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr19-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/01.nmd.0000202494.75723.83"},{"key":"bibr20-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1363461508094678"},{"key":"bibr21-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1503\/cmaj.090292"},{"key":"bibr22-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00127-009-0078-5"},{"key":"bibr23-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maharaj, V., Tomita, A., Thela, L., Mhlongo, M. & Burns, J. K. (2016). Food insecurity and risk of depression among refugees and immigrants in South Africa. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007\/s10903-016-0370-x.","DOI":"10.1007\/s10903-016-0370-x"},{"key":"bibr24-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2009.09.029"},{"key":"bibr25-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0002-9432.72.3.341"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr26-1363461517705570","first-page":"37","volume":"14","author":"Muhwezi W. W.","year":"2003","journal-title":"Journal of Psychology in Africa"},{"key":"bibr27-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.294.5.602"},{"key":"bibr28-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-0025.2010.01026.x"},{"key":"bibr29-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jts.20324"},{"key":"bibr30-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00048670601172780"},{"key":"bibr31-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/j.1440-1614.2006.01766.x"},{"key":"bibr32-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/00048674.2010.543412"},{"key":"bibr33-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Siriwardhana, C., Sheik Ali, S., Roberts, B. & Stewart, R. (2014). A systematic review of resilience and mental health outcomes of conflict-driven adult forced migrants. 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Conflict and Health, 5(20). doi:10.1186\/1752-1505-5-20.","DOI":"10.1186\/1752-1505-5-20"},{"key":"bibr38-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tomita, A., Kandolo, K., Susser, E. & Burns, J. K. (2015). Use of short messaging services in social services to assess depressive symptoms among refugees in South Africa: Implications for mental health services in resource-poor settings. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. doi:10.1177\/1357633X15605406.","DOI":"10.1177\/1357633X15605406"},{"key":"bibr39-1363461517705570","unstructured":"United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2014). Facts and figures about refugees. http:\/\/www.unhcr.org.uk\/about-us\/key-facts-and-figures.html."},{"key":"bibr40-1363461517705570","unstructured":"United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2015). Global trends: Forced displacement in 2015. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/en-us\/global-trends-2015.html."},{"key":"bibr41-1363461517705570","unstructured":"United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2016). Urban refugees. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/en-us\/urban-refugees.html."},{"key":"bibr42-1363461517705570","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/med\/9780199557226.003.0014"},{"key":"bibr43-1363461517705570","unstructured":"Wilkinson, K. (2015, April 20). South Africa\u2019s xenophobic attacks: Are migrants really stealing jobs? The Guardian. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2015\/apr\/20\/south-africa-xenophobic-violence-migrants-workforce."},{"key":"bibr44-1363461517705570","unstructured":"Willems, R. (2005). Coping with displacement: Social networking among refugees. In I. Ohta & Y. D. Gebre (Eds.), Displacement risks in Africa: Refugees, resettlers and their host populations (pp. 53\u201377). Kyoto, Japan; Victoria, Australia: Kyoto University Press; Trans Pacific Press."},{"key":"bibr45-1363461517705570","unstructured":"Women\u2019s Refugee Commission (WRC). (2011). No place to go but up: Urban refugees in Johannesburg, South Africa. 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