+

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

+

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.

+

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

+

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’

+

Plan of Action

Education For both recipients & doctors

Severity Treatment Precautions

Change in Global View Policy Changes Health Changes

+

Mental Health Concerns in Refugee Camps

By Rachel Ding

+

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

+

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

+

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?

+

Thank You