Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
2019

Five Years Later: The Impact of a Hunger Strike on Undocumented Migrant Workers in Brussels (Article)

Vanobberghen R.* , Louckx F. , Devroey D. , Vandevoorde J.
  • a Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
  • b Department of Sociology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
  • c Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
  • d Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium

Abstract

Five years after a hunger strike of undocumented migrant workers, participants were interviewed to find out about the long term consequences and what the post-factum evaluation of their participation was. A longitudinal observational study was set up, interviewing 46 of the 100 ex-hunger strikers and combining quantitative and qualitative research. This grassroots study shows that one out of six did not derive any benefit from their participation. Half regretted their participation, especially the ones who lost again their legal permit, mentioning health consequences and the fact that their situation hadn’t improved. Given the growing number of asylum seekers around the world who are being refused legal permits, hunger strikes will remain a pressing topic. Health professionals, confronted with this possible health and life threatening action, should be informed about the long term impact of voluntary fasting on body and mind of ex-participants. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Undocumented immigrants Decision making Hunger strike/r/s

Index Keywords

male female Fasting observational study decision making Brussels Capital Region migrant worker hunger Article qualitative research asylum seeker human adult undocumented immigrant human experiment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85064246386&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-019-00886-6&partnerID=40&md5=951ce35ac9b985022a9dfa79b54c5a63
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00886-6
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English