Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 4, 2016, Pages 764-770

Impact of the Boston Marathon Bombing and Its Aftermath on Refugees and Survivors of Torture (Article)

Piwowarczyk L.* , Rous D. , Mancuso A. , Flinton K. , Hastings E. , Forbush L. , Shepherd A.
  • a Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States, Boston University School of Medicine, 02118, Boston, MA, United States
  • b Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • c Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • d Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • e Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • f Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
  • g Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States

Abstract

On April 15, 2013, Boston residents and guests gathered for the Boston Marathon. Two explosives at the finish line killed three people and injured hundreds of others. As part of our clinical encounters, patients of the Boston Center for Refugee Health & Human Rights were asked about the marathon bombing. We were concerned about the high level of armed security as many of our patients had been detained in their countries of origin. Eighty patients seen between April 16 and July 7, 2013 were asked about their experience of the Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath. A retrospective chart review was undertaken and data analyzed using Atlas.ti & SPSS. Approximately 86 % of those interviewed were reminded of their past trauma. The following themes emerged: triggering and trauma related symptoms, content specific cognitive schemas, recognition of the universality of violence, fears of discrimination, issues surrounding safety, and specific concerns of Muslims. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Traumatic stress Asylum seekers Terrorism Refugees Survivors of torture

Index Keywords

refugee Massachusetts human Refugees middle aged survivor violence Survivors Aged Humans psychology male female Retrospective Studies adult posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic retrospective study Torture Boston
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84939624508&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0263-4&partnerID=40&md5=352d0c750c149ca21bb21ecebcbedb52
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0263-4
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English