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A traditional health belief that many Afghanistan folk believe in is that when you fall sick mentally, it is an attack from evil spirits. They believe that not following Islamic practices will let evil spirits called 'Jinn' take possession of you. As there is a strong stigma that having a mental illness is a sign of weakness in Afghanistan, many believe it is an attack from Jinn. One of the cures for this sickness is prayer and practising Islamic practices; by this, you will be cured.

Reference:

Migrant & Refugee Women’s Health Partnership. (2019). CSoutheastern National Tuberculosis Center. (n.d.). Afghanistan cultural quick reference guide. https://sntc.medicine.ufl.edu/Content/Products/Downloads/Afghanistan%20Cultural%20Quick%20Reference%20Guide.pdf

Queensland Health. (2011). Afghans Australians https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/retail-and-wholesale-trade/retail-trade-australia/dec-2021

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It said that around 99% of Afghanistan is Muslim (Department of Home Affairs, 2023)., and it has also been reported since the end of June 2022 that there are roughly 71950 Afghans living in Australia. As 99% of Afghanistan practice Islam, there are many requirements they must follow, from not drinking alcoholic beverages to dietary requirements. As the Australian culture has a large practice of consuming Alcoholic beverages after work, many of these refugees are singled out or excluded from participating in these events due to beliefs and many are looked down upon because of this. These are some of the many social exclusions Afghans face social exclusion as they show how much they are isolated.

Reference:

Department of Home Affairs. (2023). Country profile: Afghanistan. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-statistics/statistics/country-profiles/profiles/afghanistan#:~:text=At%20the%20end%20of%20June,35%2C930)%20at%2030%20June%202012.

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Afghanistan refugees are facing multiple health issues upon arriving in Australia. One main health issue they face is their mental health; due to the Taliban War occurring in Afghanistan, many refugees suffer from mental health issues; as many have experienced traumatic events in Afghanistan, multiple refugees suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Management for mental health has multiple ways of treatment, and specifically for PTSD, there are many services available, such as therapy. A refugee would first see a doctor and then refer them to a specialist. The service they will provide to refugees can help with stress management and better nutritional health.

Reference:

Refugee Health Guide. (n.d.). Mental health. Refugee Health Guide. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/mental-health/

Alemi, Q., Panter-Brick, C., Oriya, S., Ahmady, M., Alimi, A. Q., Faiz, H., Hakim, N., Sami Hashemi, S. A., Manaly, M. A., Naseri, R., Parwiz, K., Sadat, S. J., Sharifi, M. Z., Shinwari, Z., Ahmadi, S. J., Amin, R., Azimi, S., Hewad, A., Musavi, Z., Siddiqi, A. M., … Ventevogel, P. (2023). Afghan mental health and psychosocial well-being: thematic review of four decades of research and interventions. BJPsych open, 9(4), e125. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2023.502

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One iconic item that Afghanistan is proud to show off is its wool and silk rugs, which are now sold all around the world. They are worth such a high price to this day. It has been reported that they have been making Afghan Bokkara since the 16th century to keep the floors warm during winter and as a sign of decoration to have at the house. The value for these rugs can be between the ranges of $200 to $4000 and even more.

Reference:

Barclay, J. (n.d.). The Afghan rug. Retrieved August 29, 2024,https://jamesbarclay.co.uk/the-afghan-rug/#:~:text=Afghan%20carpets%20have%20a%20long,during%20the%20cold%20winter%20months.

Catalina Rug. (n.d.). 6 reasons why Persian rugs are expensive. https://www.catalinarug.com/blog/6-reasons-why-persian-rugs-are-expensive/#:~:text=Crafted%20with%20immense%20patience%20and,personal%20touch%20of%20skilled%20weavers.

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Kabuli Pulao is a popular and iconic dish, considered the national dish of Afghanistan, whose main ingredients consist of lamb, multiple spices, carrots, raisins, and rice. This dish is a delicacy which is very difficult to cook. Kabuli Pulao is a traditional dish that is normally served on special occasions such as Eid Al-Fitri (end of Ramadan or even during Ramadan) and weddings. Some would say it is a test for the woman to see how well she can cook Kabuli Pulao if she is worthy of marriage!

Reference:

Foreign Fork. (n.d.). Kabuli Pulao (Afghanistan's national dish). Foreign Fork. https://foreignfork.com/kabuli-pulao/

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Currently, in Afghanistan, there is a Taliban war occurring. This is causing an economic crisis in the country, from unemployment, no women's rights and major health issues. Because of this, many refugees face not only physical health problems but also mental health problems. Many refugees suffer from PTSD, tuberculosis and nutritional deficiencies. This is causing many Afghans to flee the country to the neighbouring countries. It has been reported that well over 1.6 million Afghans fled the country since August 2019.

Reference:

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. (2023). Afghan refugees - Key issues. https://www.rch.org.au/immigranthealth/clinical/Afghan_refugees_-_key_issues/

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2024). Afghanistan. https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/afghanistan#:~:text=Afghanistan%20continues%20to%20face%20substantial,earthquakes%2C%20and%20April%202024%20floods.

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I feel that reading Domain 1, standard 1.2, helped me to understand that PTSD has a major impact on refugees. This links back to my research on Afghanistan; the reason why standard 1.2 helps me understand that PTSD should be taken into account during assessments is because Afghanistan they are going through a war, which causes them to have traumatic experiences and can affect our diagnosis and assessments. Having learned this, I feel more confident in taking care of refugees who have undergone traumatic experiences. For me, learning this makes me feel shocked that if we don't take certain experiences into account, it can change a treatment or assessment entirely, but learning from this can help many refugees and patients as well.

Reference:

Migrant & Refugee Women's Health Partnership. (2019). Culturally responsive clinical practice: Working with people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/4119639/mod_resource/content/3/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf