Health

The pre-arrival experiences of refugees have major implications in terms of their long term physical and mental health. Refugees have fled persecution and many have been subject to torture, suffering trauma as a result of war and conflict. Time spent in flight and in countries of first asylum frequently equates to prolonged displacement and insecurity, with refugees often spending many years moving between places or in refugee camps with limited or no access to health care, suffering poor nutrition and unresolved health problems as a consequence. Once arriving in Australia, the settlement process itself can be an extremely stressful time and have a significant negative compounding impact on people’s health and wellbeing.

Some common health-related issues for refugee and humanitarian entrants in Australia include:

• Accessing health services – new entrants arrive with limited knowledge and information about available health care services and this can lead to an underutilisation of services. Factors that may influence a person accessing appropriate health care include: a person’s age, gender, financial hardship, education, cultural beliefs and practices and proximity to services, as well as the cultural competency and accessibility of health care services themselves.
• Use of interpreters – A particular challenge for refugee and humanitarian entrants in terms of health care service accessibility is the underutilisation of interpreters by some health care providers.
• Mental health – Many newly arrived refugees lack family and friendship networks in Australia and face isolation in their new communities which can have negative mental health implications and exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues. The damaging impact of prolonged separation from families on mental health is a major issue of concern. Mental health issues associated with the refugee experience often do not manifest themselves immediately; rather, they become apparent some time after initial settlement. As a result, former refugees may be in need of mental health services and torture and trauma counselling well after their eligibility for these services. The limitations and difficulties in accessing mental health services for refugee entrants can be similar to those experienced in general health services.
• Sexual and reproductive health – Due to their pre-arrival experiences, many refugee young people arrive in Australia with limited information about sexual and reproductive health. There can be negative health consequences where there is a lack of appropriate support (family and other social support) and limited opportunities for young people to learn about sexual and reproductive health in the Australian context.
• Food and nutrition – Before coming to Australia, many refugees have lived for years with only limited access to food, both in terms of amount and variety, leading to poor nutrition. This can present challenges during settlement as refugee and humanitarian entrants must learn about food choices and their consequences in Australia.

For more information and links to research on these and other health-related issues, see our Settlement Resources page.