Refugee health: an approach to emergency situations (original) (raw)
Related papers
New paradigms for refugee health problems
Social Science & Medicine, 1992
paradigms that have shaped our understanding of refugee health are indentified: the objectification of refugees as a political class of excess people, and the reduction of refugee health to disease or pathology. Alternative paradigms are recommended: one to take the polyvocality of refugees into account, and one to construe refugees as prototypes of resilience despite major losses and stressors. The article is organized into three sections, mirroring the life history of refugees from internal displacement in the country of origin to asylum in a second (usually neighboring) country, and for some, to permanent resettlement in a third country. In each of the three sections, the primary topics that are treated in the literature are identified, and key problems identified for discussion.
2014
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Introduction: Asylum seekers and refugees are identified as those who did not make voluntary choice to leave their origin country and cannot return home safely. Internally displaced persons and refuges are extremely vulnerable to human rights abuses, especially the absence and denial of mental and physical health care. For more than 50years, the fundamental framework of refugee protection has been established and accepted globally. The lack of respect to human rights of refugees and failure to provide adequate humanitarian help such as health care. The Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declarations of Human Rights, Statute of the office of the United nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, all establish international standards for private and governments organizations that set guidelines for assimilation and repatriation of refugees that create international standards. Methods: The study was conducted through a systematic literature review of articles dating between 2001 and 2015 on Embase, PsychInfo, Medline and Cochrane Controlled Trials, UNHCR, IOM and World Health Organization databases. The study decided on the articles to review by reading abstracts to determine inclusion of data about the health status of either the internally displaced person or the refugees. The abstracts were selected randomly and independently. A limited random search of the reference lists of all included studies was also undertaken. And also few English language studies of evaluated primary health care models of care for refugees in developed countries of resettlement were included. Results: The internally displaced people's and refugees are extremely vulnerable to human rights abuses From the research, it is clear that across the globe, access of primary healthcare amongst the refugees is overwhelmingly shaped by the regulations of the migration process and legal frameworks of individual states and nations. The study discusses that there is a primary need for advanced communication with refugees and coordination of activities between agencies either public or private within and beyond the health care structure. The study seeks to unveil the channels that create the neglect of refugees' right to a chance of survival. The study recommends that improved data are imperative towards supporting inter-sectorial work in addressing health care needs of refugees.
The rapid assessment of health problems in refugee and displaced populations
Med Glob Surv, 1994
An epidemic of population displacements resulting from an increasing number of regional conflicts has resulted in massive burdens for host countries and relief organizations. During the 1990s, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons has risen from 30 million to more than 47 million. Rapid assessment of the health status and health needs of refugee populations from the outset of a crisis is essential for organizing an effective response with appropriate supplies of emergency foods and medicines. Examples of rapid assessments in recent crises affecting Rwandan, Iraqi, and Somali refugees suggest a need for standardization of assessment methods, for more reliable interpretation of collected data, and for greater security for assessment personnel. [M&GS 1994;1:200-207] During the past several years a large number of ethnic conflicts in diverse regions 2~ of the world have forced millions of civilians to flee their homes and seek refuge in other areas of their country or in neighboring countries. This "epidemic" of population displacement has placed great burdens on both host countries and the international community as they struggle to provide protection and assistance. More than ever before, there is an urgent need to develop and implement appropriate methods of rapidly assessing the public health needs of displaced populations. Prior to the end of the cold war, most acute public health emergencies created by mass population movements involved persons who crossed international borders to escape political persecution or civil war. Once safely in the country of asylum, these refugees were usually afforded the protection and assistance of the international community through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Since 1990, however, acute mass population migrations have occurred in increasingly complex and dangerous environments where the displaced populations often remain trapped in their own countries and the traditional international conventions on the rights of refugees do not apply.
The Challenges of the Health Care Providers in Refugee Settings: A Systematic Review
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
Background: All over the world, migration is affecting millions of people who either choose or are forced to leave their countries of origin. Health is considered to be one of the important aspects of migration that is highly influenced by the circumstances created by mobility within or across countries. In the context of forced migration, it is well-established that refugees are susceptible to various diseases and other health conditions which might occur or deteriorate based on the health systems and health care provision in receiving countries. There is a considerable amount of research on the challenges encountered by refugees in receiving countries, in terms of health care systems and services. However, there seems to be little focus on the health care providers’ perspectives of the challenges in health care provision in refugee settings. This review aims to explore some of the articles discussing the challenging issues surrounding refugee health from a provider’s perspective. ...
Health needs of refugees: port of arrival versus permanent camp settings
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal
Background: The world's refugee population has surpassed 21 million, the large majority of which resides in developing countries. Refugees have relatively high rates of healthcare utilization for management of both long-term needs, such as diabetes, and acute conditions, such as scabies. Aims: Using interviews of stakeholders in disparate healthcare settings, we aim to elucidate both common themes and areas of difference that should be recognized and addressed as the refugee crisis continues. Methods: This qualitative interview study compares and contrasts two settings for healthcare provision for refugees: the permanent setting of Za'atari, a camp in Jordan, versus the transitory arrival location of Lampedusa, Italy. Results: We present data from 12 semi-structured interviews with experts in refugee healthcare that have experience in these two locations. We focus on issues of disease burden and health screening, organizational structures and services, cultural competency, and international response. 1 / 14 WHO EMRO | Health needs of refugees: port of arrival versus permanent camp settings Conclusions: We compiled recommendations to improve healthcare for refugees include recognizing differing health needs of refugees in Za'atari and Lampedusa, training providers in culturally-competent care, screening for and treating psychiatric disorders, and prioritizing agency coordination, documentation, and advocacy.
Health and social problems of refugees
Social Science & Medicine, 1992
Today over 15 million refugees are scattered around the world, most of them in poor Third World countries [New Sci.. DD. 1415. September 19911. But whether they seek 'safe havens' in rich or poor countries thky continhd-to suffer. from the malaisd of being uprooted, struggling to survive in new and alien environments. Their health and social problems extend beyond the obvious emergency short-term phase. It is now clear that the number of refugees has increased beyond expectations and most have stayed long enough to expect final resettlement in their countries of asylum, a process which requires wider, more comprehensive and long-term management and rehabilitation interventions. This paper will attempt to highlight issues of health and social problems in their wider context, surveying comprehensive and integrated approaches in assessing the needs of refugees, whether they are in developing or industrialised countries, with emphasis on the latter and, when appropriate, using the United Kingdom experience as an example.
The Public Health Aspects of Complex Emergencies and Refugee Situations
Annual Review of Public Health, 1997
▪ Populations affected by armed conflict have experienced severe public health consequences mediated by population displacement, food scarcity, and the collapse of basic health services, giving rise to the term complex humanitarian emergencies. These public health effects have been most severe in underdeveloped countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Refugees and internally displaced persons have experienced high mortality rates during the period immediately following their migration. In Africa, crude mortality rates have been as high as 80 times baseline rates. The most common causes of death have been diarrheal diseases, measles, acute respiratory infections, and malaria. High prevalences of acute malnutrition have contributed to high case fatality rates. In conflict-affected European countries, such as the former Yugoslavia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Chechnya, war-related injuries have been the most common cause of death among civilian populations; however, increased incid...
Refugee Health: A Moral Discussion
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 2018
The world is currently witnessing the greatest refugee crisis of all times. 1 According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, the current number of forcibly displaced people is 65.6 million worldwide, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and stateless persons [1]. These people live in a political limbo with very limited access to resources to meet their basic needs such as housing, healthcare, sanitation, education, and employment. Among all these problems, however, health has a special status. Literature shows that refugees have a higher rate of mortality and morbidity compared to the host community in country of asylum. They are faced with a greater risk of psychological problems, and communicable and chronic diseases. Many studies show that refugees have a higher rate of morbidity and mortality because of the situation in their country of origin and also conditions in their country of asylum, such as overcrowded refugee camps, poor sanitation and under-nourishment. In addition, they encounter barriers to access to healthcare services in host countries [2]. These barriers include language and cultural differences, discrimination from the public and from some health professionals, mistrust and financial constraints [3]. Recently the attention of the international community on refugees has increased significantly due to tragic instances such as the heartbreaking picture of a young boy drowned at the shores of the Aegean Sea or the devastating photos of women, children and elderly in inhumane conditions. However, this attention was not sufficient to solve the basic problems such as the limitations of international law to define the legal status of refugees. The governments of host countries continue not to include refugees in their national policies due to the fact that they do not reside in their country and consider them as temporary guests. The lack of formal citizenship and national bonds, still constitute the leading factors that limit the responsiveness of the national governments and international community to the Correspondence to: A. M. Ozgumus; P. E. Ekmekci. Author Contributions The article basically depends on a literature. The literature review was done by the first author, Ms. Ozgumus, with the guidance of Dr. Ekmekci. Data and statistics which may be referred are gathered by Ms. Ozgumus and Dr. Ekmekci. Then, the first version was drafted by Ms. Ozgumus and reviewed by Dr. Ekmekci, so that the ideas in the article was developed further. After that the article was reviewed and finalized by both authors. Conflict of interest We hereby indicate that there is no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval All authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript and agree with its submission to the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. The study does not involve any human subject. Therefore, no institutional review board approval is needed. 1 We use the term "refugee" for all people who run away from their home countries due to political unrest, war, infringement of human rights, regardless of their legal status, such as refugee, asylum seeker, stateless or person under temporary protection.