Refugee and Immigrant Health

Book excerpt: We live in an age of constantly shifting populations, as immigrants and refugees seek a safe haven from war, famine and poverty. The healthcare of these dispossessed people is now a stark challenge not only in zones of conflict but in those wealthier countries that have offered sanctuary. The book is based on the authors' combined forty-plus years of work as clinicians and teachers in refugee and immigrant health. It is written with clinicians and students in mind and is thus practical, yet theory-based, so it can be used in the field and as a teaching text. It bridges physical health (highlighting infectious disease risks), mental health, and spiritual issues; and encompasses population-specific information on history of immigration, culture and social relations, communications, religions, pregnancy and childbirth, end-of-life issues, and health screening. It also details health beliefs and practices of 30 cultures from more than 40 countries.