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Refugees and asylum seekers often confront particular challenges when accessing essential services in host countries. The difficulties these vulnerable groups face in meeting educational needs are documented in numerous studies. Although Romania experienced mainly transit migration, it is recently becoming a destination for refugees and irregular migrants. Most people entering the country are young or minors, and access to education is crucial for their economic future and a successful integration process. The present paper primarily explores the challenges and difficulties asylum seekers and people with refugee backgrounds experience in accessing educational services in Romania. It is framed within an interpretive paradigm using qualitative interviews with asylum seekers, people with refugee backgrounds, and NGO representatives to collect data. This exploratory research is designed on thematic analysis: four themes and eight subthemes were identified, capturing participants' perceptions about the Romanian education system and their barriers to accessing education programs. The findings suggest that access to education for refugees and asylum seekers was restricted primarily by language-related or bureaucratic and legal obstacles. Therefore, efforts should be made to raise awareness among the general population and specialised educational institutions. Additionally, creating more opportunities for interactions between people of different backgrounds can alleviate the persisting inequalities experienced by this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The 'senses'—our sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch—are intrinsic components of our human experience. Trauma recovery practitioners afford the senses to foster healing and draw into awareness the sensations of the traumatised body. Therefore, if the senses are valuable in trauma recovery, then they must also be important in the initial traumatic acts—such as violence. Aim: This ongoing PhD project explores the role of senses in violence committed towards refugees and asylum seekers in Europe. Method: A sensorial model is developed through semi-structured interviews and key engagement with literature and research. Results: An excess and absence of senses are critical in understanding violence endured by refugees and asylum seekers, but also in how violence is witnessed and perceived by others. It is clear people on the move experience violence sensorially throughout their journey. Conclusions: The senses are evidently part of the violence. At times, violence is in sensorial excess: the sounds of camps; the smell of tear gas. Alternatively, a concealment or deprivation of senses can also be violent: camps on the periphery; violence out of sight. Notably, senses (in excess or through concealment) can also be vital components in the survival of violence. "Vio-lense" is a suggested model for considering 'violence' and 'senses' as being essentially interwoven rather than separate. This, in turn, is important for development of collective healing mechanisms and, more widely, defining and understanding violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has highlighted important healthcare access and utilization issues among new forced immigrants. We aimed to explore the role that public and patient involvement (PPI) might play in enhancing accessibility and specific contributions to migration health studies. We conducted open and in-depth interactive virtual discussions with asylum seekers and refugees from Eritrea and Syria in Switzerland. The PPI establishment consisted of three phases: inception, training and contribution. Prior to training, the concept of PPI was not straightforward to grasp, as it was a new approach—however, after training and consecutive discussions, participants were ardent to engage actively. We conclude that PPI holds promise in regard to raising awareness, improving healthcare system accessibilities and utilization, and enhancing and strengthening migration health research. Indeed, PPI volunteers were keen to raise their community's awareness through their networks and bridge an important gap between researchers and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resettlement and integration of a displaced population into a new society faces a plethora of challenges. These range from lack of national legal frameworks to plan and implement planned relocation, to the absence of a long-term vision, inadequate funds, and poor institutional structures. The 3-year EU Erasmus+ funded REGARD Project (REbuildinG AfteR Displacement) set out to address some of these challenges and develop guidance with a focus on the roles and responsibilities of the host and the resettled community in order to understand the needs of both. This paper focuses on the Swedish experience (one of four case studies in the project) in the aftermath of the mass influx of Syrian refugees in 2015. A needs assessment conceptual framework of both host and displaced communities guided the multi-method approach applied in the Sweden case where data was drawn from a scoped literature review on issues related to integration and social cohesion complimented and validated by in-depth interviews with a number of municipalities and non-governmental organizations all working with asylum seekers resettlement. The results of the research indicate that while the Swedish case was a relative success by comparison to others in Europe, there was still systemic shortcomings that needed attention. First, cooperation and coordination between government and non-governmental actors and at different levels up and down the chain of services provided for resettled refugees is still lacking where the reality on the ground is not fully grasped by centrally driven policy and decision-making. Second, what determines the effectiveness of resettlement and integration efforts is focusing on the individuality of each displacee's needs and circumstances where one-size does not fit all, and recognizing that integration is a two-way process that has to involve both host and guest community and not simply the absorption of one into the other. Finally, the paper concludes that the pressured and often highly politicized situations both host and guest community are put into usually force rapid responses, while long-term visions and sustainable solutions when adequate time is taken to establish trust and build viable networks between the two communities can lead to far better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely restricted global movement, thus affecting migration processes and immigrants themselves. The paper focuses on the evaluation of bordering procedures and practices introduced by the Polish government in the time of the pandemic. The aim is to highlight the duality in the admission processes at Polish borders between labour and forced migrants, which have been driven, as I argue, by economic interests and the xenophobic attitudes of the government. The paper is based on interviews with experts assisting migrants during the pandemic in Poland, whose direct contact with thousands of clients has allowed them to acquire broad knowledge of how the new legal provisions have affected different groups of immigrants. The data confirms that the Polish border is very porous. It has been almost completely closed to asylum seekers, especially those fleeing from Muslim countries, for whom the only option is to cross the border illegally. Only one exception was made for Belarusians, who were cordially welcomed at the border while escaping persecution in their home country in the wake of their protests against Lukashenko's regime. Economic migrants, on the other hand, exist on the other side of the spectrum. For immigrant workers, borders have remained open throughout the whole pandemic. Moreover, some further measures facilitating their arrival were introduced, such as de facto lifting of quarantine for seasonal farm workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we argue that Direct Provision in Ireland is a state approved form of gendered carcerality which creates and exacerbates conditions of gendered violence. Direct Provision is a system of processing asylum seekers in Ireland where they are temporarily provided accommodation while they wait for a decision on their refugee status claim. This article shows how carceral practices are layered and gendered, making some spaces and bodies more carceral than others. These carceralities increase the institutional burden which agglomerates in human bodies and makes the lives of an already precarious population unliveable. Through a review of the strategies adopted by the government in relation to migrants, undocumented workers and asylum seekers, this article shows how the gendered experiences of certain asylum seekers like mothers and sexual violence survivors become the political site where state approved carceral practices and gendered violence merge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, scholarly attention has increasingly focused on what is known as the 'refugee gap', which refers to the great difficulty asylum seekers and refugees face in entering the labour market in the host country. This poses a grave threat of social and occupational marginalisation for this group and highlights the role of systemic factors in facilitating resilience outcomes. By adopting a systemic perspective, this research aims to provide a critical reflection on the key features that should be considered when designing and implementing effective career counselling interventions for asylum seekers and refugees. To this end, a systematic review of the international applied research published by October 2022 has been carried out, using the PRISMA model. The 20 selected publications are grouped according to three main career research strands that reflect the core aspects to be addressed within career interventions in order to assist asylum seekers and refugees in their life and career transition in the host country, namely (i) psychosocial resources, (ii) identity transformation processes, and (iii) lived experiences and meaning-making processes. The main findings of the studies are discussed by looking into common themes that emerge from the literature, namely challenges related to migration contexts, self-regulating personal resources and skills, and sense of self and identity in career transitions, as well as considerations on the design aspects of career counselling and research targeting As&R. Finally, some guidelines and directions for action are provided for the purpose of developing inclusive career counselling interventions for As&R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants are central concepts in news coverage of immigration. However, these three terms refer to distinct groups with different meanings and potentially different frames, which could be negative, victim-based, or positive. Additionally, it is uncertain to what extent these groups are given a voice and how this is linked to the news frames used. To address this, a content analysis of 503 articles about asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants in a Belgian elite newspaper and a popular newspaper was conducted for the period from 2015 until 2020. We focus specifically on differences between the crisis years and the non-crisis period thereafter. Our results indicate that if asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants are given a voice, they are more likely to be framed positively or as victims. However, if they are only mentioned, a negative frame is more common. Asylum seekers are also more likely to be negatively framed than migrants and refugees. Moreover, we find no differences between the elite and popular newspapers in how they frame and give a voice to these three actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asylum-seeking migrants represent a vulnerable segment of the population, and among them, women constitute an even more vulnerable group. Most of these women and girls have been exposed to threats, coercion, and violence of many kinds, including rape, forced prostitution, harassment, sexual slavery, forced marriage and pregnancy, female genital mutilation/excision, and/or other violations of their rights (e.g., deprivation of education, prohibition to work, etc.). The perpetrators of the violence from which they flee are often their own families, partners, and even institutional figures who should be in charge of their protection (such as police officers). In the process for the acceptance/rejection of an asylum application, the forensic and psychological certification can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful applications, as it can support the credibility of the asylum seeker through an assessment of the degree of compatibility between the story told and the diagnostic and forensic evidence. This is why constant and renewed reflection on the ethical, forensic, and methodological issues surrounding medico-legal and psychological certification is essential. This article aims to propose some reflections on these issues, starting from the experience of the inward healthcare service dedicated to Migrant Victims of Maltreatment, Torture, and Female Genital Mutilation operating since 2018 at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University Hospital of Palermo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underserved populations have a wide heterogeneity on healthcare provision and use. They also represent the key populations according to WHO 2030 goals for HCV micro-elimination. Our review evaluated the available literature on HCV diagnosis, staging, and treatment among underserved populations, such as incarcerated people, patients with psychiatric disorders, and migrants. A narrative review of literature was performed using key electronic databases (Scopus, Pubmed—MEDLINE) and search engines (Google Scholar). Peer-reviewed publications, grey literature on HCV, and recent models proposed for micro-elimination in underserved populations were included. An insight into the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on HCV micro-elimination pathways will be also provided. Regarding prison settings, a progressive reduction in HCV epidemiology among incarcerated people in the last years was found (one-third of the level it had been before). People suffering from psychiatric disorders have a high anti-HCV prevalence, but there is a lack of data on active infections. A bidirectional relationship between HCV and psychiatric disorders was found. Migrants showed a very inconsistent assessment of HCV. Furthermore, available studies recorded data from populations with high heterogeneity of anti-HCV prevalence, Therefore, the reported results need caution in their evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forced migration of nearly 6 million Venezuelans is a global issue that is transforming urban contexts, particularly in Latin America. Ecuador is the third main recipient country of displaced Venezuelans. The lack of State migration policies and the deteriorating economic situation throughout the region have had significant impacts on migrants. While food security and migration have been studied extensively in Latin America, their intersection remains under-explored. Through a systematic review and focus group research, this exploratory study analyzes the food security conditions of Venezuelans in Ecuador and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the levels of food insecurity using an intersectional approach. Quantitative, systematic review results demonstrate that demands for food assistance outweighed the planning and provisions supplied by both state and non-state actors. Focus groups results support the findings from the systematic review and demonstrate that in the medium-sized port cities of Manta and Machala, food demands during the pandemic lockdown measures were met through the direct food supply and resilience strategies, including the securing of personal loans and bartering. In contrast, in the cities of Quito and Huaquillas, strict enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown measures, reduced access to work and systematic food access and increased reliance on food assistance from non-governmental actors. This study also found that the impacts of food (in)security in the context of COVID-19 disproportionately affected women in all cities, as they offered their food rations to meet the needs of their children, grandchildren, or other dependents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sexually minoritized men in the East, Horn, and Central Africa continue to flee from their countries, because of actual or feared persecution, to neighboring Kenya to seek protection and safety. However, there is limited research on their experiences and needs. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the persecution experiences of gay and bisexual asylum seekers and refugees in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. Methods: We adapted McAdam's Life-Story Interview (LSI) to develop a semi-structured interview guide. We used the interview guide to conduct one-time anonymous in-depth interviews with 19 gay and bisexual men recruited by purposive sampling. The study also included a photovoice component and written reflections. We transcribed the interviews verbatim, uploaded them to NVivo 12 plus, and analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis framework. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26, with the largest age group being 18–24 (n = 9, 47%). We found six major themes: (1) The Anti-Homosexuality Act, (2) death punishment, (3) physical abuse, (4) sexual violence, (5) discrimination, and (6) injuries. Conclusions: Continued multi-layered discrimination across borders may have adverse physical health outcomes for gay and bisexual asylum seekers and refugees in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. Further collaborative strategies may help to understand and develop culturally sensitive interventions to improve their health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact particularly on the most vulnerable populations, including immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the EU. The article depicts the results of the comparative research project "Local Alliance for Integration (LION/GSRI/University of West Attica/81018): Migrant and Refugee integration into local societies in times of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain and Greece" implementing a qualitative methodology. This article analyses via 32 in-depth interviews the experiences of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Greece, the increased barriers towards integration due to racial and ethnic inequalities, precarity and health disparities during this period which function as a means of perpetuating exclusion in five sectors: (a) formal employment, (b) healthcare, (c) formal education and language training, (d) housing and social care/protection, and (e) intercultural coexistence as well as the new rise of a hostile rhetoric and anti-migrant attitudes under a COVID-19 pandemic populism. The unravelling of the narratives revealed perceptions and practices of inequality and uncertainty as well as of hope. The socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees, similarities and differences that occurred and evidence of the ongoing obstacles they encountered during the pandemic are presented. Policy and practice implications include the implementation of prevention measures by the institutions that are tasked with the responsibility to remove hindrances, address unequal treatment, racial/ethnic and social inequalities and raise awareness on multiple ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally a country of emigration, Romania recently experienced an increased migration influx, although it is more a country of transit than a destination for refugees and irregular migrants. Refugees often face difficulties when trying to meet their needs and access essential services. This study aims to explore the experiences and barriers of asylum seekers and people with refugee backgrounds in accessing healthcare services in Romania. It is an exploratory study with a qualitative research design, which uses an inductive and deductive approach, with thematic analysis being applied in order to grasp the difficulties and barriers that asylum seekers and people with refugee backgrounds experience in accessing essential social services. The research was based on seven in-depth interviews with representatives of significant national or international non-governmental organisations assisting refugees and asylum seekers in Romania and 129 semi-structured interviews with different categories of people with refugee backgrounds from Southwest Asia, Eastern Africa and Ukraine. One of the most salient themes we identified relates to accessing the healthcare system. Participants talked about what information they needed to access medical services, where they looked for this information, and what barriers they faced in the process. Cultural, linguistic, structural, and financial barriers were perceived as the most significant. Improved public awareness, a better understanding of asylum issues, and stronger community support are essential to addressing inequalities experienced by this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring disability among migrants is a significant challenge; however, there is no consensus on how to measure disability and functional limitations. The present study reports a methodological approach to measure disability in refugees and asylum seekers using Washington Group (WG) tools, namely the WG Short Set (WG-SS), the Short Set Enhanced (WG-SS-E), and the Extended Set on Functioning (WG-ES). We interviewed 161 migrants in different regions of Italy. The recommended threshold for each WG tool was used. We identified 13.7% of migrants with disabilities using the WG-SS, 21.7% using the WG-SS-E, and 31.6% using the WG-ES. Anxiety and depression were the main weights to identify migrants with disabilities (11.8%). The WG-SS does not measure mental health, and therefore we do not suggest its use in the field. However, the WG-SS-E, together with some questions on pain and fatigue, should be considered to identify migrants with a greater risk of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study made a claim that perceived discrimination, socio-economic strain, and structural strain on displaced people have an adverse impact on their mental health. Our claim also acknowledges that these people potentially have a unique set of strengths and abilities that they rely on to overcome their immediate and future problems. The aim of this study is thus to examine the relationship between post-migration life adversity and mental health problems, and assess the potential mediating role of resilience among asylum seekers and refugees (219 asylum seekers and 42 recognized refugees) living in South Korea. Structural equation modelling was used to examine hypothesized pathways between post-migration life adversity, mental health and resilience. Fit indices showed adequate to excellent fit of the examined models with mental health as the outcome. Mental health was positively regressed on PMLA and negatively regressed on R. In addition, R partially mediated the association between PMLA and MH. In addition to providing the academic contributions of this study to the ongoing study of resilience and its social welfare implications, the result of the study indicated the necessity of improving the present and future socio-environmental factors that foster resilience among refugees and asylum seekers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culturally and linguistically diverse populations, particularly asylum seekers, face challenges in accessing healthcare services. Pharmacists need to be capable of identifying and responding appropriately to the needs of diverse population groups. The aims of this study were to clarify student pharmacists': knowledge of, and attitudes to, asylum seekers; their understanding of themselves with regard to cultural competence; their exposure to culturally and linguistically diverse clinical settings; their potential receptivity to learning opportunities directed towards cultural competence; and the extent to which they interpreted the current curriculum as improving their cultural competence. Pharmacy students' viewpoints and perspectives were essential as emerging pharmacy professionals. This study employed mixed methods and convenience sampling. There were no significant (p > 0.05) associations between demographics and any of the survey items. Five themes emerged from the interviews: namely, exposure, formal vs. informal, positive views, conflict, and sufficiency. Pharmacy curriculum should ideally provide sufficient knowledge to meet culturally diverse healthcare consumers' needs, especially asylum seekers. The most efficacious models for teaching cultural competence are as yet still undetermined. Interactive learning in cultural competence was recommended as essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This present study concerns refugees and asylum seekers who have been referred to a Mobile Mental Health Unit (MMHU-Ch) in rural Greece on a Northeast Aegean Island during the refugee crisis in 2015. Our objective is the examination and recording of psychopathology characteristics', the presentation of the therapeutic interventions provided, and the difficulties. The sample is composed of 418 requests made by refugees, asylum seekers, adults, and children. The clinical and demographic data have been gathered from the MMHU-Ch's charts. The study is retrospective, descriptive with quantitative and categorical variables. The data has been analyzed with the utilization of SPSS. The dominant diagnosis in children involves anxiety disorders, developmental disorders, and PTSD. One noteworthy finding is the high percentage of suicide behavior regardless of psychiatric diagnosis, which should be further examined. As far as interventions are concerned, the conclusions which have arisen are the gradually stronger commitment of the referents, but also the high percentage of requests that dropped out. Further examination of the interventions and their efficiency is recommended as well as probing the features of psychopathology in the long term with a view to clarifying the patronizing and aggravating factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are 26 million refugees globally, with as many as 80% facing food insecurity irrespective of location. Food insecurity results in malnutrition beginning at an early age and disproportionately affects certain groups such as women. Food security is a complex issue and must consider gender, policies, social and cultural contexts that refugees face. Our aim is to assess what is known about food security interventions in refugees and identify existing gaps in knowledge. This scoping review followed the guidelines set out in the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. We included all articles that discussed food security interventions in refugees published between 2010 and 2020. A total of 57 articles were eligible for this study with most interventions providing cash, vouchers, or food transfers; urban agriculture, gardening, animal husbandry, or foraging; nutrition education; and infant and young child feeding. Urban agriculture and nutrition education were more prevalent in destination countries. While urban agriculture was a focus of the FAO and cash/voucher interventions were implemented by the WFP, the level of collaboration between UN agencies was unclear. Food security was directly measured in 39% of studies, half of which used the UN's Food Consumption Score, and the remainder using a variety of methods. As substantiated in the literature, gender considerations are vital to the success of food security interventions, and although studies include this in the planning process, few see gender considerations through to implementation. Including host communities in food security interventions improves the refugee–host relationship. Collaboration should be encouraged among aid organizations. To assess intervention efficacy, food security should be measured with a consistent tool. With the number of refugees in the world continuing to rise, further efforts are required to transition from acute aid to sustainability through livelihood strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]