Most of the six Central American refugee women Hrycak interviewed identified depression as a dominant medical problem they faced on arrival to Canada. However, instead of telling the physicians that they felt depressed, they spoke of physical ailments. This does not mean that the refugee women did not have psychological insights, but the somatic complaints reflect traditional modes of seeking help and also the women s views of what is relevant to bring to the medical setting. Ultimately, if the physician was unaware of these cross-cultural factors, an improper diagnosis would be made. Some other barriers the Central American refugee women encountered when attempting to access health care services included language difficulties, affordability and acceptability.
Language barriers are one of the most prominent problems the women encountered.
If the patient was not understood by the physician due to linguistic barriers or a lack of cultural sensitivity their feelings of stress and isolation were heightened. Through the interviews Hrycak and the refugee women developed recommendations to help Central American refugees interact with the Canadian Health Care System more beneficially. Instead of prescribing medication, peer social support should be provided. Consequently, they can educate health authorities about barriers marginalized people face accessing and interacting with the health system.