Australian Journal of Primary Health
Volume 17, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 66-71

Health status and use of health services among recently arrived men with refugee backgrounds: A comparative analysis of urban and regional settlement in South-east Queensland (Article)

Correa-Velez I.* , Barnett A.G. , Gifford S.M. , Sackey D.
  • a La Trobe Refugee Research Centre, School of Social Sciences, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia
  • b Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
  • c La Trobe Refugee Research Centre, School of Social Sciences, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia
  • d Mater UQ Centre for Primary Health Care Innovation, University of Queensland, 2 Potter Building, Annerley Road, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia

Abstract

Approximately one-third of refugee and humanitarian entrants to Australia are adult men. Many of these men and their families settle in regional areas. Little is known about the health status of refugee men and the use of health services, and whether or not there are differences between those living in urban and regional areas. This paper reports on the cross-sectional differences in health status and use of health services among a group of 233 recently arrived refugee men living in urban and regional areas of South-east Queensland. Overall, participants reported good levels of subjective health status, moderate to good levels of well-being, and low prevalence of mental illness. Men living in urban areas were more likely to have a long-standing illness and report poorer health status than those settled in regional areas. In contrast, men living in regional areas reported poorer levels of well-being in the environment domain and were more likely to visit hospital emergency departments. Targeted health promotion programs will ensure that refugee men remain healthy and develop their full potential as members of the Australian community. Programs that facilitate refugees' access to primary health care in regional areas may promote more appropriate use of hospital emergency departments by these communities. © 2011 La Trobe University.

Author Keywords

Refugees access to health care rural settlement

Index Keywords

refugee regression analysis health promotion Australia mental health human Refugees middle aged controlled study health status Aged emergency ward Urban Health Services disease duration Residence Characteristics Cross-Sectional Studies mental disease psychological well being health program cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male urban rural difference prevalence Article health care utilization major clinical study adult health care access Queensland Health Services Accessibility primary health care Rural Health Services
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79952961427&doi=10.1071%2fPY10051&partnerID=40&md5=fcf144b3bc2bac9c1316346e33ffcd1c
DOI: 10.1071/PY10051
ISSN: 14487527
Cited by: 12
Original Language: English