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Health Concerns in Refugee Camps By Katherine MacGregor, Rachel
Ding, Rachel Rodrigo, and Jill Rankin
+Why talk about Health Concerns in Refugee Camps?
Disparity in health care needs and provision
Many camps around Africa Refugees from war, famine etc.
Population density in camps Easily spread illness
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Communicable Diseases in Refugee Camps of East Africa By Jill Rankin
+Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) At risk because of overcrowding, suboptimal living
conditions, and malnutrition.
High infection rate among children under 5
Viral infections can cause chronic asthma
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus ( Adv)
Pneumonia
People in camps more at risk because of the camp system.
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Malaria
Caused by infected mosquitos who carry a parasite called Plasmodium and bite the host.
Two thirds of world’s refugees are living in malaria endemic regions
Women and children most at risk
Significant cause of mortality and morbidity among refugees
Solution- prevent infection by use of mosquito nets and mosquito repellent with deet
+Diarrheal diseases
Cholera
Dysentery
Result from?
Accounted for 40% of deaths in acute phase of emergency in these camps.
Source of infection: polluted water sources, contamination of water during transport and storage, scarcity of soap, shared cooking pots, contaminated foods.
60% from Cholera and 40% caused by shigella dysentery.
+Measles
Often endemics occur because of emergencies
Overcrowding causes fast transmission
Frequency of severe measles higher in malnourished children
Blindness occurs because of vitamin A deficiency
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Non-Communicable Diseases in Refugee Camps By Rachel Rodrigo
+School of Thought
Change in Global Understanding View and treatment
Change in Global Health Regulation Adjust World Health Organization United Nations Policy What are the limitations of this policy?
Why? How can they change?
+Chronic Disease
Lack of knowledge Heavy usage of tobacco
Lack of treatment options (resources)
Types Asthma Hepatitis B Heart Disease New disease spreading with
‘globalization’ and ‘development’
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Plan of Action
Education For both recipients & doctors
Severity Treatment Precautions
Change in Global View Policy Changes Health Changes
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Mental Health Concerns in Refugee Camps
By Rachel Ding
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Why Address Mental Health?
Geopolitical realities of refugee camps War/Torture trauma in post-conflict/conflict settings
Psychosocial needs Basic emotional and relational needs
Mental health’s relation to physical health Psychiatric distress affects physical well-being
+ Underlying Causes & Effects of Mental Health Issues
Causes War trauma, Struggle to process memories of war, violence,
family tragedies, etc. Psychiatric distress especially among youth
Effects PTSD, Depression, Schizophrenia,
Bipolar disorder, Anxiety Vulnerability to Interpersonal conflicts,
abuse, social fragmentation Stagnation
Economic productivity Educational activity
+Gaps & Limitations in Mental Healthcare Delivery
Scant availability of services Scarcity of mental health workers available for aid
Limited uptake of services Due to social stigmas associated with mental illness Predetermined coping strategies :
Silence, stoicism, suppression
Approaches to Solutions/Intervention Cross-cultural validity of health care
interventions
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Solutions to Health Concerns in Refugee Camps
By Katherine MacGregor
+Structural Issues
Education Teaching good habits etc. Making people aware of health threats
Sanitation and hygiene Keeping disease from spreading Access to clean water
Malnutrition, malnourishment, dehydration Building habitants’ immunity so they can avoid and combat
disease
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Immunization Proactivity to problems
Getting people immunized before disease impacts habitants of camp
Reactivity to problem Immunizations in the face on oncoming epidemic
Issue: Patient health records Tracking who has been immunized and who hasn’t
been (and against what)
+Distribution of Resources
Equity issues Who should be given health aid? Who get immunized? How to make sure everyone who needs aid is getting it (i.e.
marginalized groups)
Logistics Difference between emergency situations and long term
situations How to distribute aid amongst a group of transient people?
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Thank You