Voices of Resettled Refugee Congolese Women: A Qualitative Exploration of Challenges Associated with Resettling in Ohio

Abstract

Refugees, specifically women, experience challenges associated with being resettled in Ohio. Existing research gives little attention to challenges associated with resettling, specifically among Congolese refugee women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide Congolese refugee women an opportunity to narrate the challenges that they face resettling in Ohio. Translator-assisted, face-to-face interviews were conducted among resettled Congolese refugee women who were 18 years of age or older. All participants (n = 20) were receiving assistance from a local resettlement agency at the time of the study. Researchers applied a thematic analysis approach during the data collection and data analysis process. The three overarching themes were financial insufficiency and unemployment, family concerns, and daily experiences of health. Findings from this study provide an increased understanding of the many complex factors affecting resettled Congolese refugee women and provide resettlement agencies with the information to better support them.