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Experiences and psychological strain in volunteer medical doctors providing medical visual examination for asylum seekers in a reception center in Germany – a qualitative interview study

Abstract Nearly 40% of the refugees arriving in Germany suffer from psychological traumatization. After initial accommodation in reception centers, German legislation requires that all refugees undergo a medical visual examination (MVE) to screen for infectious diseases. This examination is, in part, conducted by volunteering medical doctors. The present study aimed to analyze volunteering medical doctors’ motivation for performing MVE, their connected experiences, and their psychological strain in a reception center. In this context, the emergence of secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatization, and the need for psychological support were explored. Semistandardized interviews were conducted with 18 medical doctors after they had performed MVE. Interview recordings were transcribed and subsequently underwent qualitative thematic analysis. Finally, thematic clusters were identified. The analysis revealed 512 relevant single codes, from which three main categories were derived. These ranged from private motives for volunteering to perform MVEs in a reception center setting, to thoughts and feelings after performing the examination, and the need for psychosocial support. After having performed MVE, some of the doctors displayed cognitive alterations, which can be an indication of vicarious traumatization. Most participants felt motivated to reflect on their personal beliefs and their moral concepts.