Refugee health
In Central America, refugees coming from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras show the highest incidence of anemia cases.
As an airborne disease, TB is spread via inhalation of the bacteria, which subsequently travel to the lungs and other body parts to manifest infection.
Anyone between the ages of 2 and 14, living in a country with a tuberculosis incidence rate of 20 or more cases per 100,000 people (as identified by the WHO), is required to have a tuberculin skin test.
However, health care is often not prioritized in refugee populations and resources are limited, thus making it difficult to properly control the rate and spread of infection.
Due to social and economic conditions, resettled refugees face many of the same challenges that lead to poorer health for some racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States and in other countries.
[15] The density in population of refugee camps, in addition to lack of clean water, social distancing, and sanitation may impact exposure to COVID-19.
[10] Consequences of parasitic infection can include anemia due to blood loss and iron deficiency, malnutrition, growth retardation, invasive disease, and death.
Since 1999, the CDC has recommended that US-bound refugee populations from Africa and Southeast Asia undergo presumptive treatment for parasitic infections prior to departure.
Based on the high prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, the CDC recommends that US-bound refugee populations from this region undergo presumptive treatment prior to departure to the US.
As a preventative measure, refugees are administered, when available, albendazole and ivermectin prior to their asylum seeking journey to other countries like the United States.
[18] Most studies reveal high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and somatization among newly arrived refugees.
[20] A 2005 Lancet review found that 9% (99% CI 8–10%) of refugees in western countries had post-traumatic stress disorder and 5% (4–6%) had major depression [21] In 2015, a study focused on the impacts of traumatic events on displaced persons from Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan.
[18] Leaving behind all that is familiar and starting a new life in a new country with a different language and culture in addition to previous trauma and dislocation produces an immediate challenge that can have long-term effects.
Many refugees will not share a Western perspective or vocabulary, so questions will need to be explained through specific examples or re-framed in culturally congruent terms with the assistance of an interpreter or bicultural worker.
[27] Additionally, refugee children face unique barriers to adequate psychological health support due to significant trauma during their vulnerable developmental years.
With limited access to clean, running water and hygienic supplies (soap, pads, tampons) within refugee camps, monthly periods create health problems for women and girls.
Refugees staying in temporary settlements in Myanmar reported poor latrine conditions, describing them as unsafe and dirty, with locks on the doors being a rare occurrence.
Additionally, many young girls reported dark, unlit paths at nighttime causing unwarranted assaults by intruders in the camps.
Another obstacle that refugee women face in maintaining their menstrual health is limited to no access to an adequate amount of sanitary supplies.
Other studies have revealed that when desperate, women will resort to using leaves or old pads to absorb the discharged blood, according to a report by Sommer's team in the journal Conflict and Health.
In addition to limited supplies and sanitary facilities, cultural attitudes towards menstruation create a difficult, taboo environment surrounding the topic.
[32][33] Evidence from Southern Europe points to higher rates of occupational risks such as working many hours per day and extreme temperatures[34] and greater exposure to poor employment conditions and job precariousness.
[40] Through the provision of targeted, adequate health literacy tool kits, populations are more likely to adhere to treatment plans and prevention efforts—particularly in the realm of infectious disease.
[41] These health literacy tools must be relevant to the communities, administered in familiar language and vocabulary, and must truly take into account the competencies and limitations of the target audience.
Civic orientation usually include information about the country's history, political system, laws, health, culture and everyday life.
Civics and language courses are commonly test based, meaning that a pass grade is required to obtain a residency or citizenship status.
After such assessment is made, those new understandings must be targeted to create novel, innovative approaches to mitigate risks and promote healthy behaviors—in an infectious manner.
However, even in this case, it may be necessary for social support to be offered by statutory or voluntary agencies from outside the refugees' and asylum seekers' communities in line with local informal and formal structures and networks.
Most refugee camps are more densely populated than the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship where an outbreak of COVID-19 led to transmission four times faster than in Wuhan.
In some refugee camps, the UNHCR is addressing these challenges using Community Outreach Members and recorded voice messages sent to mobile phones.
