Table 6 Sub-categories and sample quotes from the focus groups^a describing the category “causes feelings of disappointment”

Causes feelings of disappointment

Does not fulfill the image of a health examination

A2 (P4): They say that it’s a general examination and then they should look at the whole body. Legs, nerves … everything. They just took blood and that was it. They should have a more thorough examination that they make, in different areas.

A1 (P1): I thought that the person who came would get a complete examination. Like, we didn’t get x-rayed, what I know …even in Damascus, the wealthy people, we made a “check” every sixth months…you did an MRI, x-ray, blood tests, urine tests, stool tests, eyes and ears…That’s what the wealthy people did and then you knew exactly what you had. You got lung x-rays if you smoked if, god forbid, you had initial early signs of cancer or something. You understand? There were no x-rays here, not at all…

A4 (P2): …when we went she asked for a whole hour about our health, what do you need, what sicknesses do you have? …I told her about the rash I got but she didn’t say we could look at it…But she didn’t ask to do tests right away so that we could be on the safe side.

Does not focus on the individual

A1 (P1): The purpose isn’t to treat what there is they, they want to see if the person has diseases, maybe infections, spreading diseases like tuberculosis that affect society.

S2 (P4): They don’t check what you want them to check. They wondered whether I had for example tuberculosis and AIDS. You should actually ask a person what worries they have and examine those parts.

A2 (P1): …he said to them during the health examination that he felt unwell and needed a psychologist. They didn’t take it seriously…it wasn’t until today, seven months later that he got a time with a psychologist…

S3 (P4): Yes, when I was at the doctor he asked me questions like that and that and that, have you heard that? Then I said no and the doctor was just quiet.

A4 (P3): I got none (information) at all. She took information from me. She didn’t give me any advice…for example the most common illnesses here how I could protect myself or so, or about allergies that are common…if you get rashes or eczema from the air or the environment…In Syria you know what each season brings…But when we come here it was really that…when I took my daughter to the doctor today for her cough she said she wanted to examine her because right now there’s a lung infection going around in children…I didn’t have any idea about this, this illness.

A1 (P1): They send (the results) only if you have a disease…a dangerous disease. That you have to follow up on.

A2 (P1): But I think they should answer regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. Because you think the whole time that the letter got lost, or was sent to the wrong address, so you think about it until you get to know the results.