Abstract
Recently the psycho-social health of refugees has rightly received emphasis, but the physical health of long-term refugees warrants similar attention. This paper uses qualitative and quantitative data on informant-reported health outcomes for two Greek Cypriot village cohorts, one displaced, the other not displaced. Supplementary data from a national diabetes prevalence study confirmed a possible link between refugee status and greater probability of cardiovascular illness. Depressive illness also seemed higher among the refugee village cohort. But it is not only the illness of some of these refugees, but their surviving this, and the comparative wellness of others which is important, compared with the 'demographic shock' victims of post-socialist Europe, 1989-1995. The paper suggests why the Greek Cypriots have done rather better in health terms than the post-socialists of Eastern Europe, 1989-1995, but argues that refugees in failing states may have much worse health outcomes.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 86-107 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | Journal of Refugee Studies |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2007 |
Keywords
- Greek Cypriots
- Protective factors
- Refugee health
- Reported cardiovascular illness
- Wellness