The Health of Refugees: Public Health Perspectives from Crisis to Settlement

At the moment, over 65 million people are forcibly displaced from their homes. The reasons for movement range from extreme weather conditions and environmental disasters, to war, civil and political crises, to the need for basic economic survival. Amongst these 65 million people are those that have been forced to leave a country that is no longer willing or able to offer protection and those who are displaced within their own country’s borders.

In order to improve conditions for displaced people all over the globe, we need to look at the reason behind their move as this defines their migration status under international law. In its turn, the migration status affects the requirements of other countries to grant asylum, and the individual’s right to protection and support. The definition of migration status and its implications has created tension in the public debate on refugees for decades and is today more relevant than ever.

In The Health of Refugees: Public Health Perspectives from Crisis to Settlement, the challenges and vulnerabilities created from this debate are addressed by public health policy makers, clinical practitioners, and researchers. An analysis of public health, international law, the history of migration, and the media’s role in refugee health, it is a comprehensive and critical work with a strong message in favour of international and interdisciplinary cooperation. With a focus on what international obligations entail when it comes to refugees and migrants, the authors present a reinforced take on our collective responsibility to leave no one behind.

The Health of Refugees: Public Health Perspectives from Crisis to Settlement traces the health repercussions on individuals and populations from the moment of forced mass movement due to conflict and other disasters, through to the process of resettlement in other countries. These issues are addressed within the context of other global public health priorities, and are part of the book’s critical analysis not only of the particular vulnerabilities created by mobility, but also how these interact and intersect with existing considerations across gender and age in health systems and international law. With a wider geographical area and case studies from all over the globe as a basis for the studies presented, this is a fully updated edition with new material discussing the current political landscape.

A truly multidisciplinary book, The Health of Refugees is ideal for public health practitioners, researchers, and postgraduate students. It is also an important work for those involved in non-governmental organisations, international aid, and international development. Furthermore, it provides a critical background for clinicians, mental health workers, and policymakers from health, welfare and migration.