Family Medicine With Refugee Newcomers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: JABFM

article

Jackson Andrew Smith¹  Jean de Dieu Basabose¹  Margaret Brockett³  Dillon Thomas Browne¹  Sandy Shamon⁴  Michael Stephenson³ 

[1] From the Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo;Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment (CMHRT), University ofWaterloo;Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre;Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University

关键词: Access to Health Care;    Community Health Centers;    Community Medicine;    COVID-19;    Cross-Cultural Comparison;    Family Medicine;    Mental Health;    Minority Health;    Ontario;    Refugees;    Social Determinants of Health;   

DOI  :  10.3122/jabfm.2021.S1.200115

学科分类：过敏症与临床免疫学

来源: The American Board of Family Medicine

【 摘 要 】

Certain members of society are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 crisis and the added strain being placed on already overextended health care systems. In this article, we focus on refugee newcomers. We outline vulnerabilities refugee newcomers face in the context of COVID-19, including barriers to accessing health care services, disproportionate rates of mental health concerns, financial constraints, racism, and higher likelihoods of living in relatively higher density and multigenerational dwellings. In addition, we describe the response to COVID-19 by a community-based refugee primary health center in Ontario, Canada. This includes how the clinic has initially responded to the crisis as well as recommendations for providing services to refugee newcomers as the COVID-19 crisis evolves. Recommendations include the following actions: (1) consider social determinants of health in the new context of COVID-19; (2) provide services through a trauma-informed lens; (3) increase focus on continuity of health and mental health care; (4) mobilize International Medical Graduates for triaging patients based on COVID-19 symptoms; and (5) diversify communication efforts to educate refugees about COVID-19.

【 授权许可】

CC BY