Impact of the first health dialogue meetings with newly arrived child migrants and their families in Sweden

Abstract

As a part of its health-monitoring programme, Sweden invites all children to access health services. In this qualitative study, first meetings with newly arrived child migrants and their families are described from the perspective of primary school nurses through three themes: methods and strategies in use, impact of the first health dialogues, and dedication of the school nurses. With many newly arrived migrants and scarce support within the school system, the nurses felt abandoned in balancing their available work hours with their own ambitions and conducting the meetings, including health checkups and mapping the vaccination status of the children.