Common medical problems in refugees

Apart from physical wounds or starvation, a large percentage of refugees develops symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. These long-term mental problems can severely impede the functionality of the person in everyday situations; it makes matters even worse for displaced persons who are confronted with a new environment and challenging situations.

Among other symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder involves anxiety, over-alertness, sleeplessness, chronic fatigue syndrome, motoric difficulties, failing short term memory, amnesia, nightmares and sleep-paralysis. Flashbacks are characteristic to the disorder: The patient experiences the traumatic event, or pieces of it, again and again. Depression is also characteristic for PTSD-patients and may also occur without accompanying PTSD.

PTSD was diagnosed in 34.1% of the Palestinian children, most of whom were refugees, males, and working. The participants were 1,000 children aged 12 to 16 years from governmental, private, and United Nations Relief Work Agency UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem and various governorates in the West Bank.

Another study showed that 28.3% of Bosnian refugee women had symptoms of PTSD three or four years after their arrival in Sweden. These women also had significantly higher risks of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress than Swedish-born women. For depression the odds ratio was 9.50 among Bosnian women.

A study by the Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine demonstrated that twenty percent of Sudanese refugee minors living in the United States had a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. They were also more likely to have worse scores on all the Child Health Questionnaire subscales.

Many more studies illustrate the problem. One meta-study was conducted by the psychiatry department of Oxford University at Warneford Hospital in the United Kingdom. 20 surveys were analyzed, providing results for 6,743 adult refugees from seven countries. In the larger studies, 9% were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and 5% with major depression, with evidence of much psychiatric comorbidity. Five surveys of 260 refugee children from three countries yielded a prevalence of 11% for post-traumatic stress disorder. According to this study, refugees resettled in Western countries could be about ten times more likely to have PTSD than age-matched general populations in those countries. Worldwide, tens of thousands of refugees and former refugees resettled in Western countries probably have post-traumatic stress disorder.

Social Difficulties for Refugees/Migrants

The first generation of migrants knows and accepts what they are. They know that they were just foreigners and are grateful to the host country and happy because they are accepted and allowed to settle in the new paradise. The hardships and numerous problems in their old places are still fresh in their memory and are sometimes refreshed by the nightmares as replays of the sufferings. They are willing to accept all the preconditions, restrictions, rules and regulations even if unfair or unfavourable to them just to be allowed to stay in the host country. They are glad to struggle and overcome all the hardships they encounter sometimes even with the ecstasy spirit. They have the fighting never surrendering spirit and almost always work hard for long hours. They do not mind even if they have to work with lower wages and without much dignity. Migrant workers are well known to face the ‘three D’ works i.e. Dangerous, Dirty and Difficult jobs.

The second generation of Migrants tries to, or even subconsciously, rejected the past. Could not accept the reality that their parents had migrated and imagine that they are totally same as the original citizens. The pressure to assimilate or merge with the mainstream society is very strong. Some of them may pretend as if pure blood local breeds. Social, cultural and religious conflicts emerge between the parents, old timers, who stick to their original values. Their spirit for hard work may not be comparable to their parents. They could not accept the unfair discriminations imposed by locals.

The third generation Migrants and onwards at last found out that although they tried very hard, it is very difficult to be accepted and treated as ‘pure locals’. Migrant and mixed blood image is very difficult to erase until and unless the migrant intermarries, converts to the host population’s religion and changes all the old culture, customs, habits, language and etc. The migrants have to discard all his identities to be accepted or assimilated into local circle. For example in Malaysia if the migrant “masuk Malay” that means convert to Islam or in Burma, Eurasians or Japan or Hindu or Chinese or Indian Muslim if convert into Buddhism are well assimilated and accepted. If the migrant’s religion is the same as the host, assimilation process is faster and easier. If not, there will always be a clear line of differentiation leading to discriminations and conflicts. According to the common sense, citizen laws, internationally recognised and accepted norms and THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, the migrants   rightfully but almost always claims that they should have all the equal rights and equal chances and opportunities as the citizens of the country.

Some of them may try to cover up or even denies their roots as an easy way out.

Those descendants of Migrants, third generation and onwards will form a new tribe or a new Minority group among the citizens of the nation. This could not avoid, especially if their race and religions are different. Assimilation would never be complete in spite of trying to do so even if it comes from the both sides, Migrants and hosts. It is a major problem of ‘Identity Crisis’ for the later generations of descendants of Migrants. As they are already established citizens with a sufficiently long enough history, they rightfully regarded themselves as the citizens with equal rights in contrast to the recent Migrants, who were used to bear all the discriminations with their eyes closed. And they will not happily accept that all those hardships and discriminations are necessary essential sacrifices and is the price to pay for the Migration. For the successive generations, sacrifice is no more accepted but the ‘Equal Rights’ and ‘Human Rights’ became the main issue. This is true for some Minoritiess in Myanmar.

Some of the Successful Migrants in the world’s history: _

* Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State of USA.
* Madeline Albright, Secretary of State of USA.
* Alberto Fujimory, disgraced President of Peru.
* Sonia Ghandi, the opposition Congress Party leader of India.
* Mother Teresa of India.
* Arnold Schwarneggar, Austria Immigrant of USA.
* Ex Ministers of Burma:U Razak, U Rashid and U Khin Maung Latt.
* Zinedine Zidane, most famous French footballer, the son of Algerian Migrant.
* Nurul Huda Abdullah, once a swimming darling of Malaysia was a migrant from Singapore
* Wife of the Mr Narayana, President of the India, is also a Migrant from Burma.