Experiences in occupational therapy with Afghan clients in Australia.

Background/aim: With a steady increase of refugees arriving in Australia from Afghanistan coupled with reports that prevalence of mental illness amongst Afghan refugees in South-East Melbourne is particularly high, mental health providers will need to acquire cultural competence to provide effective treatment. There is a dearth of literature on the subject of rehabilitation of Afghan psychiatric clients in the Australian context, providing the impetus for this article. To illustrate the impact of Afghan socio-cultural beliefs and attitudes on the implementation of occupational therapy and rehabilitation programmes in a mental health facility and adaptations to accommodate the needs of the clients and their families.