Table 5 Sub-categories and sample quotes from the focus groups^a describing the category “causes feelings of insecurity”

Causes feelings of insecurity

Lacks clarity

A2 (P1): But what kind of examination was it? No, they didn’t say. Just that it was a test for immunological defense.

A2 (P3): You know, in this country, I’ve found after a while that we don’t get information from the authorities, we get it from each other. From friends, relatives, neighbors. But the country itself doesn’t give you any information … if we try hard, ask questions or what we’ve been exposed to, then you get to know, but not via them (the authorities).

S1 (P2): It was hard to read the information we got on paper. First, the language is hard to understand. The time you put into trying to read is hard in itself …

S3 (P2): I get a letter and I look at it and try to read. I can see and understand the date but I can’t understand anything more.

S3 (P4): When I came to the doctor I started to say where it hurt. I couldn’t speak much Swedish then. They called in a Somalian man who couldn’t talk very good Swedish to help. He tried to explain what I said but didn’t succeed in saying everything to the doctor so well … it seemed like he (the interpreter) had said something completely different … the doctor took blood samples and wrote out medicines … I started to take the medicine … after about 2 or 3 days I got much worse.

A3 (P3): I decline some things. She was there for half an hour and then I continued in English with her (the doctor) … there were some private things I didn’t want to say when she (the interpreter) was there.

Does not give protection

A1 (P4): … the other thing is that the results when they come, the person knows what they are but the roommates don’t know. The person could have a dangerous disease. I had a roommate who went to another city for a few days and got letters that he asked me to read for him, and it turned out he had an inflamed liver … yes, and I don’t know about it … if I for example have something, you should know about it.

A1 (P4): … there are certain cases that are psychological. There was a person who was crazy … with me in the same room. Yes, and he was left, he didn’t get any care … he gets letters now and then but we don’t know what he has. He might have a dangerous disease, he himself could hurt other people. Because he has epileptic seizures sometimes.

A1 (P1): … no care is given for mental health. To be specific, the immigrant doesn’t find that mental care is adapted for the tragedy he comes from.

S1 (P3): When they (the doctors) give a diagnosis they base it on what you’ve said yourself about your symptoms. And that’s not quite right.

A4 (P3): I felt that it (the HEA) should have been given much earlier … I lived with a family, in a house with many family members. If I’d had a disease without visible symptoms it would have spread before the examination.