Raising awareness of refugee health issues.AUCKLAND REGION'S refugee health coordinator Annette Mortenson has received $300 in funding from the Nursing Education and Research Foundation (NERF) and Gretta and Harry Hamblin Trust, towards her doctoral study of refugee health in New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. . Mortenson hopes her study will raise awareness of health issues facing refugees and lead to improved services. Mortenson was drawn to refugee health after 25 years of nursing in public and sexual health, here and in Britain. "All my working life has been with vulnerable, marginalised populations," she said. Her current focus is on refugees from Africa and the Middle East, the former Yugoslavia, and South East Asian groups from Burma (Myanmar) and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (srē läng`kə) [Sinhalese,=resplendent land], formerly Ceylon, ancient Taprobane, officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, island republic (2005 est. pop. now resettled Adj. 1. resettled - settled in a new location relocated settled - established in a desired position or place; not moving about; "nomads...absorbed among the settled people"; "settled areas"; "I don't feel entirely settled here"; "the advent of settled in Auckland. "The New Zealand Government has an extraordinary humanitarian policy. But, on the other hand, we have the least resettlement Re`set´tle`ment n. 1. Act of settling again, or state of being settled again; as, the resettlement of lees s>. The resettlement of my discomposed soul. - Norris. support. Resettlement relies on an army of volunteers. While there is some fantastic work going on, people can wait a long time and the help is haphazard hap·haz·ard adj. Dependent upon or characterized by mere chance. See Synonyms at chance. n. Mere chance; fortuity. adv. By chance; casually. ." Refugees had a unique set of health needs, Mortenson explained. They might have suffered deprivations and/or trauma in repressive regimes and refugee camps. Refugee health policies were not integrated and the biggest inequities were in the areas of mental, women's, childrens', sexual, nutritional and dental health. Like other poverty-stricken communities in New Zealand, refugees also faced problems of access to affordable heath services. "There are some really stunning services happening, coming out of personal innovation, but these are isolated one-offs," she said. Mortenson has started an Auckland team of refugee community health workers to work with refugee families, and to offer cultural advice and training to other health workers. The aim of her PhD thesis is to look at across-the-board health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract in the absence of a refugee strategy from the Ministry of Health. "I hope my study will bring some best practice guidelines practice guidelines Medical practice A set of recommendations for Pt management that identifies a specific or range of range of management strategies. See Peer review organization, Practice standards. Cf 'Cookbook' medicine. and some policy change." For further details on present health services, visit www.refugeehealth.govt.nz or call the Ministry of Health 04-499 5989 for a free booklet Refugee Healthcare: A Handbook for Health Professionals. |
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