Surveillance and Disaster Planning: Health needs of asylum seekers and refugees

This article discusses the health needs of asylum seekers and refugees, including mental health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, women's health, and wider determinants of health.

Running Head: Surveillance and Disaster Planning
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Surveillance and Disaster Planning:
Health needs of asylum seekers and refugees
Name
Institution

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Mental health
Refugees and asylum seekers regularly encounter traumatic experiences that negatively impact
their mental health (Burnett, & Peel, 2001). These experiences can be subdivided as follows;
Depression and anxiety: Asylum seekers have higher depression rates compared to the broad
population. It is higher among those waiting to be granted asylum and lower in successful
applicants.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a major mental condition affecting refugees and
asylum seekers. It comes as a result of war, violence, death, imprisonment and separation of
families.
Suicide: studies have shown that suicide is high among refugees in relation to the general public.
Communicable diseases
Asylum seekers tend to reflect the presence of communicable diseases from their country of
origin (Burnett, & Peel, 2001). Disease prevalence is common due to lack of medical care
brought about by ongoing war. For example, the vaccination rates in Syria have dropped from
90% in 2010 to 45% in 2013 as a result of the ongoing civil war.
Women’s health
Women are affected most as refugees. They’re more prone to sexual abuse, rape and physical
assault (Burnett, & Peel, 2001).
Contraception: Language barrier is a major factor that prevents women from seeking
contraceptive advice. Study shows that there is a higher abortion rate among asylum seekers

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compared to the local population. Women should be given their choice of contraception
immediately after entry.
Cervical screening: smear tests are important upon arrival in order to prevent cases of cervical
cancer.
Pregnancy: language and cultural barriers are a hindrance to great antenatal care for women.
They often suffer bad pregnancies and are more likely to lead to post natal depression.
Non communicable diseases
Non communicable diseases are also on the rise among displaced populations. Research shows
that diabetes type 2 among asylum seekers is high. Women and children are likely to be deprived
of iron, a nutritional deficiency.
Wider determinants of health
Other determinants that affect the health of migrants include;
Lifestyle, social networks, education, housing and employment (Burnett, & Peel, 2001)..
Many immigrants lack access to these services without which their whole well-being is
negatively affected.

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References
Burnett, A., & Peel, M. (2001). Asylum seekers and refugees in Britain: Health needs of asylum
seekers and refugees. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 322(7285), 544.
Burnett, A., & Peel, M. (2001). Asylum seekers and refugees in Britain: The health of survivors
of torture and organised violence. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 322(7286), 606.