Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume 199, Issue 8, 2011, Pages 532-536

Refugee resettlement to the United States: Recommendations for a new approach (Article)

Westermeyer J.J.*
  • a Departments of Psychiatry and Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States, Veterans Administration Medical Center, One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, United States

Abstract

Hmong acculturation to the United States has involved high prevalence of several psychosocial challenges: acculturation failure, welfare dependency, psychiatric disorder, mistrust, malignant youth gangs, and violence. Conversely, resettlement of the Thai Dam-a tribal group, also from Laos-has gone remarkably well in comparison. Strategies used for resettlement of these two groups differed greatly. Based on these differences, the author recommends a refugee resettlement strategy aimed at improved mental health and optimal acculturation for future refugee groups. Copyright © 2011 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Author Keywords

Refugee Mental health Health Gangs Acculturation Hmong

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology refugee Laos mental health human Refugees theft Social Problems United States Humans family homicide Acculturation cultural factor prostitution Article addiction drug traffic Rape
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-80051739173&doi=10.1097%2fNMD.0b013e318225eebf&partnerID=40&md5=9ba518517caac8fcdcc068327bbf72aa
DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e318225eebf
ISSN: 00223018
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English