Although based on correlational data derived from'a convenient' sample, our findings raise the possibility that current procedures for dealing with asylum-seekers may contribute to high levels of stress and psychiatric symptoms in those who have been previously traumatised.

Unauthorized immigrants arriving in Western countries increasingly are being subjected to stringent restrictions while their residency claims are assessed. The present study was a investigation of premigration exposure to organized violence and postmigration stressors in 40 individuals seeking asylum who were attending a community welfare center in Sydney, Australia. Almost 80% reported exposure to premigration trauma such as witnessing murders, having their lives threatened, being separated from family members, and brainwashing; 25% had been tortured. Asylum seekers reported a marked decline in socioeconomic status. Common ongoing sources of severe stress included fears of being repatriated, barriers to work and social services, separation from family, and issues related to the process of pursuing refugee claims. More than one third had problems obtaining health services in Australia--the same number who reported similar difficulties in their home countries. Although based on a selective and culturally heterogeneous sample, the results suggest that salient aspects of the asylum-seeking process may compound the stressors suffered by an already traumatized group.

Hospices within Australia, such as the Sacred Heart Hospice (SHH) at Darlinghurst, have over many years proven to be highly successful in meeting the needs of persons who require palliative care and addressing the concerns raised by their families. However, health professionals have increasingly recognised that caring for persons who are from a Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) and for their families requires giving them special consideration because of their different cultural needs. This project involved reviewing all inpatient files of the SHH over a three year period (1 October 1994 to 30 September 1997) and quantitatively reviewing all inpatient files of NESB inpatients during this period. Following this review, the researchers coordinated a focus group that comprised various health professionals from SHH and other health and community services and representatives of four non-English speaking countries--Greece, Italy, the former USSR, and China. These countries had the highest representation of inpatients during the three-year term covered by the research project. The project identified a number of specific strategies aimed at providing a more culturally sensitive health care service to NESB inpatients.