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Review
. 2015 Sep;99(5):1039-58.
doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2015.05.006. Epub 2015 Jul 7.

Care of Adult Refugees with Chronic Conditions

Genji Terasaki  1 , Nicole Chow Ahrenholz  2 , Mahri Z Haider  2
Affiliations
Review

Care of Adult Refugees with Chronic Conditions

Genji Terasaki et al. Med Clin North Am. 2015 Sep.

Abstract

Refugees share a common experience of displacement from their country of origin, migration, and resettlement in an unfamiliar country. More than 17 million people have fled their home countries due to war, generalized violence, and persecution. US primary care physicians must care for their immediate and long-term medical needs. Challenges include (1) language and cultural barriers, (2) high rates of mental health disorders, (3) higher prevalence of latent infections, and (4) different explanatory models for chronic diseases. This article discusses management strategies for common challenges that arise in the primary care of refugees.

Keywords: Asylee; Chronic disease; Cross-cultural medicine; Immigrant; Language; Mental health; Primary care; Refugee.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Countries of origin of refugees resettled to the United States during fiscal year 2014.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Numbers of refugees accepted by state during the fiscal year 2014.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee. UNHCR: Global Trends 2013: United Nations; 2014 June 20, 2014. Available online at: http://www.unhcr.org/5399a14f9.html. Accessed November 1, 2014.
    1. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security. Available online at: http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/refugees. Accessed June 12, 2015.
    1. Summary of Refugee Admissions. 2014. Available at: http://www.wrapsnet.org. Accessed November 1, 2014.
    1. Martin D.C., Yankay J.E. Homeland Security OIS; 2014. Annual flow report: Refugees and Asylees: 2013.http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ois_rfa_fr_2013.pdf Available online at:
    1. Divi C., Koss R.G., Schmaltz S.P. Language proficiency and adverse events in US hospitals: a pilot study. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007;19:60–67. - PubMed

Further readings

General Medical Care for the Refugee Patient
    1. Annamalai A., editor. Refugee health care: an essential medical guide. Springer; New York: 2014.
    1. Walker P., Barnett E., editors. Immigrant medicine. Saunders-Elsevier; 2007.
    1. HealthReach: Health Information in Many Languages. From the U.S. National Libray of Medicine. Available online at: https://healthreach.nlm.nih.gov.
Cross-Culture Medicine
    1. Ethnomed website. Available at: http://ethnomed.org.
Overseas and Domestic Evaluation for US Refugees
    1. CDC website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/.
Management of Latent Tuberculosis
    1. Curry Tuberculosis Center website. Available at: http://www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu/.
    1. McGill University’s TST-in-3D website. Available at: http://www.tstin3d.com.
Female Genital Cutting
    1. Hearst A.A., Molnar A.M. Female genital cutting: an evidence-based approach to clinical management for the primary care physician. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013;88:618–629. - PubMed
Survivors of Torture
    1. Healing invisible wounds: paths to hope and recovery in a violent world by Richard Mollica. Vanderbilt University Press; Nashville (TN): 2006.
    1. Refuge: Caring for survivors of torture. Available from Refuge Media Project. 47 Halifax Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Email: refuge@refugemediaproject.org.
    1. The Center for Victims of Torture website. Available at: http://www.cvt.org.