Structural accessibility barriers and service gaps facing refugees with disabilities in the United States

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of our scoping study was to understand the experiences of refugees with disabilities and their families in the US from expert service-provider perspectives, including gaps in resources and services. We also investigated challenges and opportunities for technology intervention in this space. Design/methodology/approach - We conducted semi-structured interviews with six experts who serve refugees in the United States. We asked them about the experiences of refugees with disabilities and their families and inquired into challenges and opportunities for technology access for this population. Findings – We found that refugees and their families are significantly impacted by disabilities and mental health challenges. Additionally, while refugees have access to resources and services, they face a number of structural barriers, including the need to navigate a complex healthcare system, geographic placements that sometimes make it difficult to access employment or healthcare services, and issues with accessing public transit. Practical Implications - We offer several directions for practical improvements based on our findings, including improving structural support for refugees with disabilities and incentivizing health care providers utilizing more culturally aware language services. Limitations - The main limitation of our current study is that we did not collect data directly from refugees with disabilities. Originality/value - While the number of refugees worldwide has doubled in the past decade and there is consensus that a significant number of refugees experience disabilities and mental health challenges, few projects have looked into the technology needs of refugees with disabilities. Our exploratory study provides population-level insights on the experiences and accessibility barriers of refugees with disabilities in the United States.