TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda
T2 - A Textual-Visual Qualitative Analysis
AU - Chen, Sikky Shiqi
AU - Logie, Carmen H.
AU - MacKenzie, Frannie
AU - Okumu, Moses
AU - Hakiza, Robert
AU - Katisi, Brenda
AU - Kibuuka Musoke, Daniel
AU - Nakitende, Aidah
AU - Bahri, Bay
AU - Kyambadde, Peter
N1 - This work was supported by the University of Toronto’s School of Cities Urban Challenge Grant, with additional support from Grand Challenges Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the International Development Research Centre. Funders played no role in the study design. CHL is also supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program (Tier 2).
PY - 2025/8/29
Y1 - 2025/8/29
N2 - Background: Refugee and displaced adolescents in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) experienced significant and multifaceted stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research on their coping mechanisms, shaped by specific socio-cultural contexts, remains scarce. This study aimed to assess the stress coping strategies enacted by urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda, during COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative analysis included both textual and graphical data from an interactive mobile health intervention (Kukaa Salama – Staying Safe) conducted during COVID-19 with refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala, Uganda. Participants were asked to share coping mechanisms they employed in the face of stressors by responding to weekly check-in messages and WhatsApp group chats. Data analysis was implemented using an inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach. Findings were organized deductively within Endler and Parker’s multidimensional coping framework. Results: Data from 346 participants (174 cisgender women, 166 cisgender men, 6 transgender individuals; mean age: 21.2, SD: 2.6) revealed stress coping strategies spanning three dimensions. First, task-oriented strategies included: physical/outdoor activities, creative approaches (e.g., music), food consumption, reading, self-learning, self-reflection, and formulating business aspirations. Second, emotion-oriented strategies included: accepting reality and recognizing shared experiences; positive reappraisal; resilience, and commitment to religion. Third, avoidance-oriented strategies included substance use and cognitive disengagement. Conclusions: Refugee youth in Kampala employed multidimensional stress coping patterns that can inform policy and practice to advance mental health and support services for urban displaced youth in Uganda. Gender-tailored interventions leveraging contextually appropriate stress management strategies hold the potential to advance mental well-being among urban refugee youth in LMICs.
AB - Background: Refugee and displaced adolescents in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) experienced significant and multifaceted stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research on their coping mechanisms, shaped by specific socio-cultural contexts, remains scarce. This study aimed to assess the stress coping strategies enacted by urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda, during COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative analysis included both textual and graphical data from an interactive mobile health intervention (Kukaa Salama – Staying Safe) conducted during COVID-19 with refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala, Uganda. Participants were asked to share coping mechanisms they employed in the face of stressors by responding to weekly check-in messages and WhatsApp group chats. Data analysis was implemented using an inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach. Findings were organized deductively within Endler and Parker’s multidimensional coping framework. Results: Data from 346 participants (174 cisgender women, 166 cisgender men, 6 transgender individuals; mean age: 21.2, SD: 2.6) revealed stress coping strategies spanning three dimensions. First, task-oriented strategies included: physical/outdoor activities, creative approaches (e.g., music), food consumption, reading, self-learning, self-reflection, and formulating business aspirations. Second, emotion-oriented strategies included: accepting reality and recognizing shared experiences; positive reappraisal; resilience, and commitment to religion. Third, avoidance-oriented strategies included substance use and cognitive disengagement. Conclusions: Refugee youth in Kampala employed multidimensional stress coping patterns that can inform policy and practice to advance mental health and support services for urban displaced youth in Uganda. Gender-tailored interventions leveraging contextually appropriate stress management strategies hold the potential to advance mental well-being among urban refugee youth in LMICs.
KW - Coping
KW - COVID-19
KW - Mental health
KW - Refugee
KW - Stress
KW - Uganda
KW - Youth
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105014746007
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105014746007#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1007/s40609-025-00406-5
DO - 10.1007/s40609-025-00406-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105014746007
SN - 2196-8799
JO - Global Social Welfare
JF - Global Social Welfare
ER -