Final Project-Special Population
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HCA430-Week2Assignment-Shayna.docx
Shayna L. Rocourt
HCA Special Population
Professor Kathy Ogden
November 16, 2020
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Vulnerable Population; Immigrants and Refugees
Immigrants and refugees are somewhat similar, yet two different words that describe one particular group of people. According to the UN, an immigrant can be defined as someone who changes the country in which they reside in, regardless of the reason for immigration or legal status. On the other hand, refugees are defined as people who flee their country of residence for reasons of “fear of persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that have seriously disturbed public order, and who, as a result, require international protection” (Office of the United Nations High Commisioner For refugees, 1972). Immigrants, as well as refugees, required protection as they are viewed as vulnerable populations. This part of the disadvantaged community lacks the capability to protect themselves from risks.
This group of people experience barriers in obtaining social amenities such as healthcare and education. These barriers are based on sometimes their income or ethnicity. Due to their lack of sustainable income, lack of resources has left the easily manipulatable to engage in unsafe and sometimes illegal business. This has created a belief, in the United States more so, that immigrants or refugees cause all the crimes and other social problems in society, leading to more segregation. Not all individuals classified as immigrants or refugees are vulnerable. Society has divided them into categories based on their ethnicity and culture. For instance, in the United States, immigrants or refugees from Latin America are wrongfully regarded as drug dealers or assumed to be connected to a particular gang. On the other hand, people from Arab countries are viewed as terrorists. This kind of stereotyping has only led to more segregation and exposes such groups of people to manipulation. Some immigrants live quite a wonderful life, especially those in a high social status.
Factors Affecting Vulnerability
The following are some of the factors that affects vulnerability of the immigrants and refugees.
Political
Currently, there has been an influx of immigrants and refugees all over the world. Many countries have been faced with the huge challenge of handling the insane numbers of people seeking better conditions than they have left behind. Although there is a moral obligation for states to grant safe passage or environment to immigrants and refugees, current political change does all but that. Some of these political decisions have been mostly informed by insecurity and economic pressure to the host countries. The United States has been at the forefront in making drastic political decisions negatively affecting immigrants and refugees. The current president has repeatedly stated that immigrants are criminals. He has also tried to pass a bill to build a wall to prevent immigrants and refugees from entering the United States. Further, they have imposed a travel ban that prohibits issuing visas to citizens of some of the largest Muslim countries based on national security (Kanno-Young, 2020). Such political decision has communicated to the people that immigrants do not belong in that country, giving them the right to intimidate, assault, and segregate them.
Economic
There is a significant difference between immigrants and refugees in economic matters. Immigrants choose to migrate and the countries in which to migrate to, based on this decision's economic benefit. At the same time, refugees are forced to leave their country of origin due to an emergency or unforeseen contingent. Many of the host countries have diverse decisions regarding this group's involvement, especially the refugees, in beneficial economic activities. For their advancement, immediate access to the labor force and active integration programs are crucial for the refugee's future career path, but usually never happens. Depending on their age, gender, and education, a refugee is less likely to get employed than a native. It only makes them more vulnerable, as they are also economically unstable.
Social
Society's perception towards refugees and immigrants highly affect the advancement of these parties in their host countries. Due to economic strain, the natives of the host countries have started to see immigrants and refugees as threats to their economic well-being. Many have accused refugees or immigrants of stealing their places in the economic sectors. Others believe that such people's existence in their country is the root cause of all their national problems, including matter security. Many see Arab immigrants as terrorists, regardless of their position in society. This stereotyping by society has made the life of immigrants and refugees unbearable in the host countries as discrimination and xenophobia is openly depicted (Nyamnjoh, 2014).
Health Need for The Vulnerable Population
The right to health is universally recognized as a fundamental human right regardless of a person's administrative status. Due to the conditions they are exposed to during their transit, or during their stay in the host country, refugees and immigrants are at a high risk of falling sick (World Health Organization, 2019). Therefore, there is a need to provide access to quality healthcare services to immigrants and refugees. With the difference in legal status and language barriers, access to health services has been challenged within the host countries as most countries do not provide health strategies for immigrants and refugees.
Proposed Continuum of Care
In order to protect this vulnerable population of immigrants and refugees in the matter of healthcare, there is a need for the host country to come up with a well-defined program. A comprehensive program should lay down protective and sustainable healthcare. Long-term care should be the goal of this program. For any program to be a long-term solution, the host country must show its application's willingness and commitment.
Firstly, healthcare provision to the immigrants and refugees should be integrated with the national public healthcare program. It would ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare services regardless of legal status. For better management and accountability, it should be implemented at the community level, especially in the areas where immigrants or refugees are prevalent. The country should also change their attitude towards such people by eliminating all forms of discrimination against them. It will go hand in hand with the immigrants' and refugees' increased productivity to the host country's benefit.
Implementation of community level programs has been proved to be the best program in providing healthcare to refugees (Elena Riza, 2020). The research shows that partnership between the national government and the community will ensure that mental health, non-communicable diseases, primary care, maternal, women's, and children's health are accessible. It also speaks of the adoption of disease prevention activities through training programs to improve vulnerable populations, such as immigrants and refugees.
References
Elena Riza, S. K. (2020). Community-Based Healthcare for Migration and Refugee. A Scoping Literature Review of Best Practices, 9-13.
Kanno-Young, Z. (2020, January 31). Trump Administation Add Six More Countries To Travel Ban. The New York Times.
Nyamnjoh, F. B. (2014). Exorcing the demons within: Xenophobia, violence and statecraft in contemprary South Africa. Journal of Conteprary african Studies, 397-401.
Office of the United Nations High Commisioner For refugees. (1972). UNHRC. Geneva: United Nation High Commisioner for Refugees.
World Health Organization. (2019, May). Draft Global Action Plan 'Promoting the health of refugees and migrants. Retrieved from Refugee and Migrant Health: https://www.who.int/migrants/en/
