Care of Adult Refugees with Chronic Conditions

Genji Terasaki; Nicole Chow Ahrenholz; Mahri Z Haider

doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2015.05.006

Care of Adult Refugees with Chronic Conditions

Med Clin North Am. 2015 Sep;99(5):1039-58. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2015.05.006. Epub 2015 Jul 7.

Authors

Genji Terasaki¹, Nicole Chow Ahrenholz², Mahri Z Haider²

Affiliations

¹ Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Box 359780, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Electronic address: terasaki@uw.edu.
² Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Box 359780, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.

Abstract

Refugees share a common experience of displacement from their country of origin, migration, and resettlement in an unfamiliar country. More than 17 million people have fled their home countries due to war, generalized violence, and persecution. US primary care physicians must care for their immediate and long-term medical needs. Challenges include (1) language and cultural barriers, (2) high rates of mental health disorders, (3) higher prevalence of latent infections, and (4) different explanatory models for chronic diseases. This article discusses management strategies for common challenges that arise in the primary care of refugees.

Keywords: Asylee; Chronic disease; Cross-cultural medicine; Immigrant; Language; Mental health; Primary care; Refugee.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Case Management
Chronic Disease* / epidemiology
Chronic Disease* / therapy
Communication Barriers*
Culturally Competent Care* / methods
Culturally Competent Care* / organization & administration
Emotional Intelligence
Humans
Mental Disorders* / diagnosis
Mental Disorders* / epidemiology
Mental Disorders* / therapy
Refugees* / psychology
Refugees* / statistics & numerical data
United States