Many Afghan refugees believe that illness is a possession of evil spirits, the evil eye, witchcraft, or the will of God, resulting in them believing that Western medicine is a failed treatment for these illnesses that are possessed, so therefore decide to treat them through prayer and Koranic verses. (Arizona Department of Health Services, n.d.). In many areas of Afghanistan, health care facilities and services do not exist or individuals choose to believe in the long-lived healing processes therefore Mullahs, also known as a Muslim leader who has a dislike towards another religion, undergo traditional practices such as blowing the breath of healing while reciting prayers (Grima, 2002).

Reference list:

Arizona Department of Health Services. (n.d.). Community profile. Afghan. Arizona Department of Health Services. https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/disease-integrated-services/refugee-health/providers/community-profile-afghan.pdf

Grima, B. (2002). Women, culture and health in rural Afghanistan. Expedition magazine, 44(3), 34-38.  https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/women-culture-and-health-in-rural-afghanistan/

Quilty, A. (2020). Afghanistan’s unseen Covid crisis. Theinterpreter. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/afghanistan-s-unseen-covid-crisis

For me, the most important aspect of competency standard 1.2 was recognising the trauma and losses that refugees may experience (Migrant & Refugee Women’s Health Partnership, 2019). This understanding will be useful in my future nursing practice as it will allow me to appropriately engage with my patients who have been impacted by ‘refugee-like experiences’ and provide the essential care they require while considering their situation and potential trauma and beliefs held. This skill is most important to me because making sure these patients feel heard and valued and are not meaningfully triggered by any treatment and care I provide them with is my top priority (Australian Library and Information Association, n.d., p.1).

Reference list:

Migrant & Refugee Women’s Health Partnership. (2019). Culturally responsive clinical practice: Working with people form migrant and refugee backgrounds (Competency Standards Framework for Clinicians). https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf

Australian Library and Information Association (n.d.). Reflective practice writing guide. Vocabulary aid.

https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=2371111

Reference list:

Child and Adolescent Health Service. (2023). Refugee health service (Guideline). Government of Western Australia, Child and Adolescent Health Service. https://www.cahs.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/HSPs/CAHS/Documents/Community-Health/CHM/Refugee-Health-Service.pdf?thn=0

Mental health is a large component of a person's health, and with poor mental health comes negative health status. For Afghani refugees relocating to Australia, mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety ((Arizona Department of Health Services, n.d.) are prominent and have large effects. In 2021, 1113 (6.6%) of Afghan entrants self-reported a mental health condition (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, AIHW, 2023).

Mental health conditions can be treated through treatment plans and prescription medications. Antidepressant prescriptions are widely used amongst Afghan entrants as a source of treatment for their mental health, with 1 in 3 female entrants aged 50-69 having an antidepressant prescription dispensed (AIHW, 2023).

Reference list:

Arizona Department of Health Services. (n.d.). Community profile: Afghan. Office of the Refugee Health Coordinator of Arizona. https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/disease-integrated-services/refugee-health/providers/community-profile-afghan.pdf

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Health of refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australia: Mental health of humanitarian entrants born in Afghanistan. Australian Government, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cald-australians/health-of-refugees-and-humanitarian-entrants/contents/case-study-humanitarian-entrants-born-in-afghanist/mental-health

World Health Organisation. (2022). Donors making a difference: to global mental health. World Health Organisation. https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/donors-making-a-difference--to-global-mental-health

Afghanistan has adopted two languages, Pashto and Dari. Pashto is spoken in three varieties, Northern, Southern, and Central Pashto, with Southern Pashto being spoken in Afghani culture. On average, 45-55 million people speak Pashto, with around 40%-55% of Afghanistan’s population speaking Pashto as their first language (UNESCO, n.d.). Likewise, Dari is the prominent language in Afghanistan and is the Afghan dialect of Persian. It is currently being taught to students in Afghani schools and heard on national television (LibGuides, 2015). As Dari is the main spoken language in Afghanistan, it is used when speaking with people of different languages in the Afghan culture. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024).

Reference list:

LibGuides. (2015). Dari Language: Language history. https://guides.library.illinois.edu/dari

Sutori. (n.d.). 5 theme of geography: Afghanistan. Geocurrents. https://www.sutori.com/en/item/this-is-a-map-showing-that-many-of-afghanistan-s-language-is-dari-the-blue-on

‌The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024). Britannica. Dari language.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dari-language

UESCO. (n.d.). Silks roads programme. Pashto.

https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/silk-road-themes/languages-and-endanger-languages/pashto#:~:text=Pashto%20is%20a%20member%20of

Reference list:

Qazi, A. (2018, March 13). Clothes. Afghanistan Online.

https://www.afghan-web.com/culture/clothes/

‌

Zeenatwears. (2023). Afghanistan clothing culture. Medium. https://medium.com/@zeenatwears/afghanistan-clothing-culture-d2eb6382d1ee

Reference list:

Britannica. (n.d.). Afghanistan: culture, traditions, customs. https://www.britannica.com/place/Afghanistan/Historical-beginnings-to-the-7th-century-ce

Culture and Religion. (n.d.). Islam. Background and origin. https://tfhc.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/252222/nt-islam-fact-sheet.pdf

Khan Academy (n.d.). Mecca and the ka’ba. (https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-cultures-religions-apah/islam-apah/a/hajj#:~:text=Mecca%20and%20the%20Ka'ba,places%20in%20the%20Islamic%20world.)