"This is survival, not living the life" Daily life of asylum seekers in Iceland

Background: An ever-increasing number of people become refugees and asylum seekers in Iceland. The wait for resolution on application for asylum can take up to 3 years. During this time disrupted participation in daily... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
An ever-increasing number of people become refugees and asylum seekers in Iceland. The wait for resolution on application for asylum can take up to 3 years. During this time disrupted participation in daily occupations is common. This study was carried out to gain an understanding of the experience of living as an asylum seeker in Iceland. It explored asylum seekers’ opportunities for participation in occupations as well as their overall experiences while waiting for the processing of their application.
Method:
Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants, of which six were asylum seekers. A constructivist grounded theory approach was applied in data analysis to categorize and identify key concepts.
Results:
Four major categories emerged that reflected the participants’ difficult living conditions, lack of opportunities for participation, lack of belonging and feelings of powerlessness. The long processing time of the applications was extremely stressful as well as not being in charge of one’s life, living conditions or income.
Conclusion:
The results indicate that waiting in idleness is extremely stressful and that the long processing time of applications has deteriorating effects on health and well-being. Attention needs to be focused on asylum seekers’ living conditions and opportunities for participation in meaningful occupations, including work.
Application to Practice:
It has been pointed out that occupational therapy should focus more explicitly on occupational rights. Occupational therapists should explore and target conditions that constrain occupations whenever possible, such as those currently facing asylum seekers in Iceland and elsewhere.