The Mantra of ‘Do No Harm’ in International Healthcare Responses to Refugee People

Abstract

This book addresses the psychosocial and medical issues of forced migration due to war, major disasters and political as well as climate changes. The topics are discussed in the context of public health and linked to organizational, legal and practical strategies that can offer guidance to professionals, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations. Both internal and international displacement present substantial challenges that require new solutions and integrated approaches. Issues covered include an overview of current health challenges in the new refugee crises: medicine and mental health in disaster areas, long-term displacement and mental health, integration of legal, medical, social and health economic issues, children and unaccompanied minors, ethical challenges in service provision, short and long-term issues in host countries, models of crises intervention, critical issues, such as suicide prevention, new basic and "minimal" intervention models adapted to limited resources in psychosocial and mental health care, rebuilding of health care in post-disaster/conflict countries, training and burn-out prevention. The book was developed in collaboration with the World Psychiatric Association, and is endorsed by Fabio Grandi (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), Manfred Nowak (former UN Special Rapporteur for Torture), and Jorge Aroche (President of IRCT) Part I. General aspects and the interdisciplinary mental health care emergency response. 1. Changing context and changing lenses: a contextual approach to understanding the impact of violence on refugees / Brandon Hamber ; 2. Mourning, large-group identity, and the refugee experience / Vamik D. Volkan ; 3. Asylum and refugee law: ancient roots and modern challenges / Adel-Naim Reyhani ; 4. Identifying needs, vulnerabilities and resources in refugee persons and groups / Thomas Wenzel, Sabine Völkl-Kernstock, Tatiana Urdaneta Wittek, and David Baron ; 5. A culture-sensitive and person-centered approach: understanding and evaluating cultural factors, social background and history when working with refugees / Hanna Kienzler, Cameron Spence, and Thomas Wenzel ; 6. Integrative mental health and psychosocial support interventions for refugees in humanitarian crisis settings / Inka Weissbecker, Fahmy Hanna, Mohamed El Shazly, James Gao, and Peter Ventevogel ; 7. The mantra of 'Do No Harm' in international healthcare responses to refugee people / Nimisha Patel -- Part II. Psychological and psychosocial health in host countries. 8. Refugees in host countries: psychosocial aspects and mental health / Branka Agic, Lisa Andermann, Kwame McKenzie, and Andrew Tuck ; 9. Psychosocial wellbeing of 'vulnerable' refugee groups in (post- ) conflict contexts: and intriguing juxtaposition of vulnerability and resilience / Ilse Derluyn, Elisa van Ee, and Sofia Vindevogel ; 10. War, persecution, and dual transition: a developmental perspective of care for refugee adolescents in host countries / Trudy Mooren, Julia Bala, and Marieke Sleijpen ; 11. Psychotherapy and psychosocial support in host countries: state-of-the-art and emerging paradigms / Boris Drožđek ; 13. Promoting health of refugees in and through sport and physical activity: a psychosocial, trauma-sensitive approach / Clemens Ley and María Rato Barrio ; 14. Language barriers and the role of interpreters: a challenge in the work with migrants and refugees / Maria Kletečka-Pulker, Sabine Parrag, Boris Drožđek, and Thomas Wenzel ; 15. Mental health and well-being of the staff supporting refugees: how to deal with risks? / Rosa Izquierdo, Nino Makhashvili, Boris Drožđek, and Thomas Wenzel -- Part III. Physical health: from refugee camps to the health care system in host countries. 16. Medical aspects of health care: reflections from the field experience in European countries and an overview of the basic health needs / Michael Kuehnel, Boris Drožđek, and Thomas Wenzel ; 17. Medical aspects of care in host countries: embedding refugees in healthcare systems / Maria van den Muijsenbergh.