title: Merging perspectives: obstacles to recovery for youth from refugee backgrounds with comorbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aimed to identify challenges encountered by young people from refugee backgrounds with co-existing mental health (MH) and alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems (comorbidity) and sought to compare the perspectives of refugee youth and service providers in a metropolitan region of Adelaide, South Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two groups of participants: young people from refugee backgrounds (African, Afghan, Bhutanese) and workers from MH, AOD and refugee support services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The refugee youth reported that the biggest difficulty they face once they develop MH and AOD problems is social disconnectedness. They lacked awareness that services are available to support them. In contrast, clinicians rated difficulty accessing and receiving culturally competent comorbidity care as the greatest challenge. Other reported challenges were relatively consistent across both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has implications for how we engage these young people in services, prioritise areas of care and effectively treat and support refugee youth experiencing comorbidity. These findings emphasise the need for a combined therapeutic casework approach, addressing needs such as social connectedness, housing, education and employment.
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia Miriam.posselt@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Posselt
authors.affiliation: Professor, Mental Health Nursing, University of South Australia, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Procter
authors.affiliation: Professor, Drug and Alcohol Nursing, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Crespigny
authors.affiliation: Professor, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, South Australia; Ramsay Health Care, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Cherrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galletly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan / Q000208:ethnology; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001631:Bhutan / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D065246:Culturally Competent Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013021:South Australia; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: mental health; refugee; service provision; substance use; youth