期刊名称:International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
电子版ISSN:1748-2631
出版年度:2009
卷号:4
期号:1
页码:4-16
DOI:10.3402/qhw.v4i1.4996
语种:English
出版社:Taylor & Francis
摘要:The aim of the study was to illuminate and interpret the lived experiences of emigration, substance abuse and suicidal behaviour in young non-western men in Scandinavia. The research questions were formulated as: (1) How is meaning constructed in the narratives? (2) What impact do these experiences have on health, well-being and coping? Data were collected using open-ended in-depth interviews. A phenomenological-hermeneutic approach, inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur, was used to analyse the data. The na?¨ve reading involved awareness of the participants' perceived sense of insecurity in life. The structural analysis identified three themes: (1) the meaning of getting in a tight spot, (2) the meaning of being in a fog and (3) the meaning of the burning bed. A comprehensive understanding of the data was formulated as "living in a maze". Ill health involved having a sense of liminality, which impaired one's possibilities to define and re-define goals. Substance abuse and suicidal behaviour were explicit expressions of not being well, when living in a maze that was perceived as closed. Both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping were used by the participants. These provided the motivation for substance abuse and suicidal behaviour. Key words: Public health, emigration, substance abuse, suicidal behaviour, hermeneutics, men