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My Definition of Health

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2023-10-10 06:26:01 UTC

To me, health means to be in a state of complete mental and physical wellness that allows me to succeed in my day to day life. I feel healthy when my body is functioning correctly, I am at peace within myself, my mind is clear, and I am feeling emotionally connected with the people close to me, especially my family.

Social Determinants

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2023-10-10 08:16:15 UTC

In this post I will be discussing the impact social determinants can have on migrant/refugees in Australia.

ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH SERVICES OF DECENT QUALITY:
For migrants, refugees, and those seeking asylum, not being able to speak English is a major obstacle that makes things extremely difficult for these individuals. As a result, they are unaware of the services we provide and what is accessible to them in Australia. Additionally, as they may not have had access to healthcare in their home country before moving to Australia in search of a better life, they might not be fully aware of their needs.

EDUCATION:
Another barrier that migrants, refugees, and those seeking asylum will face is education. This is problematic since it's possible that they didn't have any kind of schooling back home. Additionally, finding employment in Australia will be challenging because jobs in this field are typically skilled-based and call for credentials and experience to prove one's competency. They are also categorised as "behind" in Australia's educational system due to their lack of schooling.

Unemployment and job insecurity:
The difficulty of finding work and the process of applying for jobs in Australia is another social factor that impacts migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum. In order to demonstrate your competence and ability to perform the job, the majority of occupations in Australia do require credentials and experience.

These are just three of the many social determinants that impact and affect migrants, refugees and those seeking asylum.

Settling in Australia: The challenges. Refugee Council of Australia. (2019, December 26). https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/settlement-challenges/5/#:~:text=Finding%20work%20is%20one%20of,stable%2C%20secure%20and%20fulfilling%20work.

Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working With People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds Competency Standards Framework

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2023-10-10 08:16:42 UTC

Domain 1: Competency Standard 1: 1.1 Clinicians respond sensitively and without assumptions to the diversity of individual characteristics and social determinants of health—including cultural, religious or spiritual and linguistic considerations, health beliefs, individual abilities, choices and preferences— and modify their approach as appropriate (Migrant and Refugee Women's Health Partnership, 2019).

This is one thing that any health professional needs to be aware of, is the diversity that will present to their clinic, hospital etc. They need to remember that specific cultures have specific beliefs and guidelines that need to be followed.

I have had a great experience in a hospital before with a nurse that was very considerate and ensured that if i had any cultural beliefs that they were followed and ensured I felt comfortable the entire time.

https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

Principle Health Issues That Refugees Face

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2023-10-10 08:17:23 UTC

FOCUS COUNTRY:

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is the poorest Asain country in 2023. Afghanistan is affected by ongoing conflict, major corruption, and inequality. This is why Afghanistan consistently ranks as the poorest country in Asia. This is why there are more than 23,ooo Afghan's who have decided to come to Australia for a better life. (Refugee Council of Australia).

HEPATITIS A:

Hepatitis A is a contagious virus that can last anywhere from a couple of weeks up to six months. Hepatitis A is a very common virus found in Afghanistan. In Australia, we offer vaccinations against Hepstitis A, so you can protect yourself (Health Direct). This is vaccination is available to anyone.

MEASLES:

Mealses is also a very common illness found in Afghanistan. Between January and August 2022, 65,470 suspected measles cases and 367 measles deaths were reported in Afghanistan. There is also a vaccination for measles in Australia so you can protect yourself. This vaccination is available to anyone.

Australia’s treatment of Afghan refugees. Refugee Council of Australia. (2023, May 19). https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/australias-treatment-of-afghan-refugees-how-their-date-and-mode-of-arrival-matters-more-than-their-persecution/#:~:text=How%20their%20date%20and%20mode,ultimate%20takeover%20of%20the%20country.

Healthdirect Australia. (n.d.). Hepatitis A. healthdirect. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hepatitis-a

Measles is raging in Afghanistan: Think global health. Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.). https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/measles-raging-afghanistan

Poorest Asian countries 2023. (n.d.). https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/poorest-asian-countries

Afghani Food

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2023-10-13 12:33:19 UTC

An array of traditional Afghani recipes that are beloved by the community may be found on the website Afghan Cooks. There is an 'about' the author part on this website that is dedicated to Mirriam Seddiq. With the intention of inspiring and disseminating her recipes, Marriam started this website to showcase her native cuisine and beverages, in hopes to inspire and share the recipes she loves.

https://afghancooks.com/recipes/

Mental Health and Coming to Australia

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2024-09-02 11:28:20 UTC

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 46,799 Afghanistan-born people living in Australia in 2016, the majority of them arrived in Australia as refugees (National Library of Medicine, 2021).

When first coming to Australia, a post-arrival health screening is completed, and apart of this screening, a mental health screening should be considered (Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide, 2024). Moving to a new country can really test the boundaries on your mental health.

Alot of people who are either refugees or asylum seekers are fleeing war torn countries where there is a lot of trauma and torture. meta-analysis found the population prevalence of reported torture was 21% in refugee adults (Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide, 2024).

There are various places that one could seek mental health support from, one of these includes the Healthdirect website (Healthdirect, 2024). This website lists multiple organisations and contact numbers where you can speak to someone if you are struggling with your mental health.

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-helplines

https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/mental-health/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8508415/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Australian%20Bureau,Australia%20as%20refugees%20%5B9%5D.

Afghani Traditional Medicine

alexandriasmith2710_ — 2024-09-03 12:25:55 UTC

Liquorice roots are a locally grown plant in Afghanistan. Liquorice roots are used as apart of traditional medicine, and have many benefits/ uses in the pharmaceutical area. Some of these can include the following:

Anti-inflammatory
Mouth ulcer and arthritis
Use for kidney disease
Cough medication
Infection of the Urinary Tract (UTI)
Laxative expectorant

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08c59ed915d3cfd00131c/RALF3_002.pdf