Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 21, Issue 2, 2019, Pages 290-298

Social Disconnection as a Risk Factor for Health among Cambodian Refugees and Their Offspring in the United States (Article)

Berthold S.M.* , Loomis A.M. , Kuoch T. , Scully M. , Hin-McCormick M.M. , Casavant B. , Buckley T.
  • a University of Connecticut School of Social Work, 38 Prospect St., Hartford, CT 06103, United States
  • b University of Connecticut School of Social Work, 38 Prospect St., Hartford, CT 06103, United States
  • c Khmer Health Advocates, West Hartford, CT, United States
  • d Khmer Health Advocates, West Hartford, CT, United States
  • e Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, United States
  • f Mount Holyoke College Department of Economics, South Hadley, MA, United States
  • g University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Storrs, CT, United States

Abstract

Studies of relatively recently resettled refugees have noted social disconnection, linked to various physical and mental health outcomes, as a concern. Limited studies have examined whether social disconnection and its effects persists within refugee populations resettled more than 3 decades prior. The relationship between social disconnection and self-reported health was explored in a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional needs assessment survey with a snowball sample of 100 Cambodian refugees residing in Connecticut. Social disconnectedness and comorbid health conditions were prevalent. Lack of religious and community engagement were associated with poor health outcomes, while individuals with a lack of ethnic engagement reported better overall health. This study underscores the importance of understanding the specific risks that social disconnection poses to refugees who have resettled many years before and their offspring that may assist in better serving currently settling refugees within the United States. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Cambodian Refugee Health Social disconnection Comorbid health conditions

Index Keywords

Asian Americans male Asian American female depression Humans refugee ethnology Cambodia psychology Social Adjustment attitude to health United States mental health human social adaptation Refugees Self Report
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85047256353&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-018-0760-3&partnerID=40&md5=5d2497d3ba783c81c77abfc2ec572ef7
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0760-3
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English