scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on refugees and asylum seekers in Greece: A retrospective analysis of national surveillance data from 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 100958
Author(s):  
Elias Kondilis ◽  
Dimitris Papamichail ◽  
Sophie McCann ◽  
Elspeth Carruthers ◽  
Apostolos Veizis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
National Surveillance ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Migration, Refugees, and Racism in South Africa

Refuge ◽  
2001 ◽  
pp. 40-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Handmaker ◽  
Jennifer Parsley
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
General Public ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
And Control ◽  
Social Separation ◽  
The Impact

The paper looks at South Africa’s complex history and policies of racism, social separation and control and the impact that this has had on the nature of migration and refugee policy. The paper argues that this legacy has resulted in policy and implementation that is highly racialized, coupled with a society expressing growing levels of xenophobia. Some causes and manifestations of xenophobia in South Africa are explored. It further examines how actions of police and civil servants can mirror the sentiments of the general public, further disadvantaging refugees and migrants. The outcomes of the WCAR are discussed with acknowledgment of the positive gains made for refugees and asylum seekers. The implications for implementation are debated in light of the attacks on the USA. In conclusion, a number of recommendations are made including the need for ongoing public awareness strategies, the value of the WCAR Declarations as lobbying tools, a pragmatic and democratic policy process and the need to highlight development concerns in approaches to address these issues.

scholarly journals The Social Determinants of Refugee Mental Health in the Post-Migration Context: A Critical Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Hynie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Refugee Mental Health ◽  
Migration Trauma ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

With the global increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers, mental health professionals have become more aware of the need to understand and respond to the mental health needs of forced migrants. This critical review summarizes the findings of recent systematic reviews and primary research on the impact of post-migration conditions on mental disorders and PTSD among refugees and asylum seekers. Historically, the focus of mental health research and interventions with these populations has been on the impact of pre-migration trauma. Pre-migration trauma does predict mental disorders and PTSD, but the post-migration context can be an equally powerful determinant of mental health. Moreover, post-migration factors may moderate the ability of refugees to recover from pre-migration trauma. The importance of post-migration stressors to refugee mental health suggests the need for therapeutic interventions with psychosocial elements that address the broader conditions of refugee and asylum seekers’ lives. However, there are few studies of multimodal interventions with refugees, and even fewer with control conditions that allow for conclusions about their effectiveness. These findings are interpreted using a social determinants of health framework that connects the risk and protective factors in the material and social conditions of refugees’ post-migration lives to broader social, economic and political factors.

Demographic characteristics of survivors of torture presenting for treatment to a national centre for survivors of torture in Ireland (2001–2012)

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-116
Author(s):  
R. M. Duffy ◽  
S. O’Sullivan ◽  
G. Straton ◽  
B. Singleton ◽  
B. D. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Treatment Centre ◽  
Survivors Of Torture ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesThe asylum process has received a lot of recent media attention but little has been said about the psychological needs of those seeking or granted asylum. Many asylum seekers have experienced trauma and torture, which is associated with substantial psychiatric and psychological morbidity. The Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative (Spirasi) is Ireland’s national treatment centre for survivors of torture. The aim of this study was to examine the demographic profile of those attending Spirasi and to consider potential clinical implications of this.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed demographic data relating to the 2590 individuals who attended Spirasi over a 12-year period (2001–2012 inclusive).ResultsThe majority of attenders were asylum seekers (88%), male (71%) and from African countries. The mean age was 31.9 years. The rate of new referrals, as a percentage of Ireland’s asylum-seeking population, has stabilised at ~6% since 2008. Women are underrepresented among those who attend.ConclusionsThe number of new referrals to Spirasi is lower than expected given international estimates of torture prevalence and the impact this has on mental health. Clinicians working with populations of asylum seekers and refugees should sensitively enquire about such events and be aware of the available services. Female refugees and asylum seekers are underrepresented, especially from Asian and Middle Eastern regions. Psychiatric, psychological and general practice services need to respond flexibly to evolving patterns of migration and address potential barriers to access, especially among female refugees and asylum seekers.

Manifestation and symptomatology of depression in refugees and asylum seekers

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 2138-2138
Author(s):  
M.C. Kastrup
Keyword(s):  
Host Country ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Depressive Syndromes ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

WHO has predicted that in 2020 depression will be the second most important cause of disability.Studies focusing on cross- cultural aspects of depression have increased during the last decade, and depression has been studied cross-culturally regarding their prevalence and symptomatology.The WHO study assessing depression across cultures reported a core symptomatology across the participating centres, but with certain differences in the ranking of problems in e.g. patients from non -industrialised nations somatic symptoms often dominate.Furthermore, there is increasing focus on the impact of migration on depressive illness. Depressive syndromes are clearly very common in migrants, and are probably the most frequent mental disorders in people who move to other countries. Refugees and asylum seekers are subjected to significant social and psychological stress and are more vulnerable. For scientific purposes it is vital though to differentiate between the different aspects of influence, for example the frequency of disorders and problems in treatment. Results of studies on increased psychological morbidity in migrants do not indicate whether increased vulnerability is associated with a migration background, or with acculturation problems in the host country due to cultural differences, or a combination of both factors. Both culture and migration-specific factors, as well as the level of integration into the host country, determine the conflicting arguments.The presentation will provide an overview of the burden of depression in relation to culture, differences in symptomatology, the role of migration and other circumstantial factors having an impact on the appearance and outcome of the disorder.

Mobility and Forced Displacement in the Middle East

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Population Movements ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Displaced People ◽  
Multidisciplinary Perspective ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact

The Middle East is currently facing one of its most critical migration challenges, as the region has become the simultaneous producer of and host to the world’s largest population of displaced people. As a result of ongoing conflicts, particularly in Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Yemen, there have been sharp increases in the numbers of the internally displaced, forced migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. Despite the burgeoning degree of policy interest and heated public discourse on the impact of these refugees on European states, most of these dislocated populations are living within the borders of the Middle East.This volume is the outcome of a grants-based project to support in-depth, empirically based examinations of mobility and displacement within the Middle East and to gain a fuller understanding of the forms, causes, dimensions, patterns, and effects of migration, both voluntary and forced. As the following chapters in this volume will demonstrate, through this series of case studies we are seeking to broaden our understanding of the population movements that are seen in the Middle East and hope to emphasize that regional migration is a complex, widespread, and persistent phenomenon in the region, best studied from a multidisciplinary perspective. This volume explores the conditions, causes, and consequences of ongoing population displacements in the Middle East. In doing so, it also serves as a lens to better understand some of the profound social, economic, and political dynamics at work across the region.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of artistic and cultural activities on the health and well-being of forcibly displaced people using participatory action research

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e025465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clelia Clini ◽  
Linda J M Thomson ◽  
Helen J Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Cultural Activities ◽  
Displaced People ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

ObjectiveDrawing on a growing body of research suggesting that taking part in artistic and cultural activities benefits health and well-being, the objective was to develop a participatory action research (PAR) method for assessing the impact of arts interventions on forcibly displaced people, and identify themes concerning perceived benefits of such programmes.DesignA collaborative study following PAR principles of observation, focus groups and in-depth semistructured interviews.SettingLondon-based charity working with asylum seekers and refugees.ParticipantsAn opportunity sample (n=31; 6 males) participated in focus groups comprising refugees/asylum seekers (n=12; 2 males), volunteers (n=4; 1 males) and charity staff (n=15; 3 males). A subset of these (n=17; 3 males) participated in interviews comprising refugees/asylum seekers (n=7; 1 males), volunteers (n=7; 1 males) and charity staff (n=3; 1 males).ResultsFocus group findings showed that participants articulated the impact of creative activities around three main themes: skills, social engagement and personal emotions that were explored during in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis of interviews was conducted in NVivo 11 and findings showed that artistic and cultural activities impacted positively by helping participants find a voice, create support networks and learn practical skills useful in the labour market.ConclusionsThe study expanded on arts and well-being research by exploring effects of cultural and creative activities on the psychosocial well-being of refugees and asylum seekers. By focusing on the relationship between arts, well-being and forced displacement, the study was instrumental in actively trying to change the narrative surrounding refugees and asylum seekers, often depicted in negative terms in the public sphere.

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