Barriers to Access of Mental Health Services in the UK : Stories of Bangladeshi Women.

Varma, Sonali and Daiches, Anna and Islam, Nargis (2026) Barriers to Access of Mental Health Services in the UK : Stories of Bangladeshi Women. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

This thesis provides a qualitative exploration of the experiences of immigrant women in high-income countries. Section One presents a scoping review, which includes a thematic synthesis, mapping the available research that considers the risk and protective factors for the femicide of immigrant women and girls who have immigrated from lower-income to high- income countries. A search identified 14 papers that were assessed for quality, the findings of one quantitative paper were stated; the remaining 13 papers were analysed to reveal four themes, and gaps in research were identified. The themes concerned the role of family and spouses; difficulties with immigration and acculturation; the perception and narrative surrounding immigrants in host societies and the impact of this; and psychological processes and mental health vulnerabilities. The identified papers are discussed in relation to the wider literature, clinical implications are considered and future research is suggested. Section Two presents an empirical paper that implemented a narrative design and analysis to explore the barriers first and second-generation Bangladeshi women in the United Kingdom (UK) faced when considering access to mental health services in the UK. Five narrative interviews and two follow-up interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Foucauldian-informed narrative analysis identified four over-arching narrative chapters: “I hear you, but I don’t want to hear it"; “Why did it have to get to that point?”; Lost in the Mental Health Maze; and The Ongoing Journey. The results are discussed in relation to the wider literature, implications for practice, and suggestions for future research. Lastly, Section Three presents a critical appraisal that considers the findings of the scoping review and empirical paper; reflections about decisions; methodology and epistemology.