Editorial

Citation

Watters, C. (2015), "Editorial", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 11 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-08-2015-0028

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Volume 11, Issue 3.

Charles Watters

Risks and responses in addressing the healthcare needs of migrants and refugees

Different migratory contexts are associated with particular risks and opportunities for effective health service responses. In the present collection of papers, we are confronted with four distinctive healthcare issues in four migratory contexts. These range from a mass resettlement operation for Bhutanese refugees, to resettled African refugees and African migrants in the USA and internal migrants in India. Each of these migratory contexts present particular challenges. Hewlett and colleagues have investigated the use of alcohol among Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. They note that alcohol use disorders are more likely to be present among older males and that disorders are associated with unemployment, unoccupied time and family tensions. Vander Veen notes a different range of health challenges among black African immigrant communities in the USA and the complex interrelationships between acculturation, resilience and obesity. She argues that her findings indicate the importance of enhancing educational programs for black African immigrants aimed at building resilience. Nunnery and Dharod’s focus is also on the USA, in this instance on Liberian refugee communities. This paper emphasizes the role members of refugees own communities can play in addressing healthcare issues through a community health workers model. In a further contribution, Prusty and Keshri focus on issues of immunization and under-nutrition among distinctive migrant populations, including urban to urban migration and rural to urban migration. It is noted here that lack of immunization and under-nutrition are more likely to be present among rural to urban migrants. In a further contribution to this edition, Ozlu and colleagues highlight life satisfaction of Turkish-speaking migrants in Austria as compared with the native population. The study highlights a range of health-related challenges for the migrant population.

Each of these papers reveals dynamics and complexities associated with particular migratory situations. Each also points to potentially fruitful forms of health intervention that have resonance across a spectrum of migratory situations.