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How refugee youth use social media: what does this mean for improving their health and welfare?

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Abstract

How do refugee youth use social media and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)? Is ICT use relevant to refugee health and well-being? We conducted a systematic scoping review to identify current social media use behaviors. We examined impacts of social media and information sharing applications on health, well-being, inclusion, and integration of refugees into host countries. Review findings reveal that refugee youth commonly use ICTs for social networking, presentation of self, health information consumption, and political rights. Studies suggest that uptake of social media through personal mobile devices, such as smartphones, positively enhanced interactions of newly arrived refugees. Our review identifies policy opportunities to enable social media to facilitate delivery of resettlement and health information, to foster integration for refugees, and to improve their health.

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Acknowledgements

This research received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (Project Number: 890-2016-4032).

Funding

This research has been funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada

    Kevin Pottie & Ayesha Ratnayake

  2. Telfer School of Management, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Idris Alghazali

  3. Department of Communication, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, USA

    Rukhsana Ahmed

  4. Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Luisa Veronis

  5. Departments of Family Medicine & Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Kevin Pottie

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  1. Kevin Pottie
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Correspondence to Kevin Pottie.

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Pottie, K., Ratnayake, A., Ahmed, R. et al. How refugee youth use social media: what does this mean for improving their health and welfare?. J Public Health Pol 41, 268–278 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-020-00231-4

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