Self-perceived health and quality of life among Azorean deportees: a cross sectional descriptive study

Abstract

BackgroundImmigration policies can cause significant public health consequences, posing detrimental social and health effects for migrants, their families and communities. Migrants often face obstacles to health due to access, discrimination, language and cultural barriers, legal status, economic difficulties, social isolation, and fear of deportation. The process of deportation has become more rapid and frequent in the U.S. with inadequate health information in the literature regarding this relocated population post-deportation. The PROMIS® Global Health Short Form was used to measure the self-reported QOL, physical and mental health of male deportees from the US to Portugal from 2009 to 2013.FindingsTwenty five males aged 28–64 years who had been deported from the US to Portugal participated in the study. Overall, their EuroQol, Global Physical Health and Global Mental Health Scores were below the established tool mean, with self-reported mental health having the lowest score. Age, marital status, length of time in the US prior to deportation, and length of time since deportation may impact the well-being of deportees post deportation.ConclusionsStudy results suggest the deportees in this study were less healthy than the general population. Future research and tailored initiatives regarding the overall health of deportees, with a focus on quality of life and mental health should be conducted to better understand their impact on reintegration. Overall study scores were lower than mean tool scores indicating the need for more research in this vulnerable group to support clinical practice and health policy to improve their overall QOL and health through intervention work.

Deportation and Re-integration: Exploring Challenges Faced by Deportee Residents in the Nkoranza Municipality, Ghana

“…Exposure to deportation and the traumatic events related to the migration experience can affect deportees' emotional well-being and could lead to the development of mental health disorders and other illnesses (Cervantes et al 1989;Brisbois et al 2016;Garcini et al 2016). These challenges could affect their re-integration efforts and therefore highlight the need for the provision of a favorable social, economic, and institutional environment that would facilitate a successful re-integration of deportees (Commission of the European Communities 2002).…”

“…In this study, the risk of insufficient food and water and poor health conditions in camps were among the immediate problems encountered by some of the deportees. Brisbois et al (2016) and Bojorquez et al (2015) noted the prevalence of mental disorders and illnesses among deported migrants. Furthermore, Naik and Laczko (2012) found that in Burkina Faso, some returnees appeared to have problems finding the next meal, as well as difficulty with meeting the cost of health care.…”

“…Deportation with its protracted history has affected many people over the past years (Brisbois et al 2016;Dolan et al 2016). Between 1997 and, more than two million non-citizens were deported or under the threat of deportation from the USA, and in the UK, over 400,000 people were deported (Gibney 2013).…”

Towards a definition for returnees' reintegration processes in the context of rural Ethiopia

“…Table 1 shows that reintegration is mainly measured through economic ( n = 26) and social ( n = 16) dimensions. To a lesser extent, psycho‐social (measured through returnees' psycho‐social well‐being and feelings of self‐worth) and political dimensions (measured using returnees' perceptions of safety, trust in the government and access to justice and citizenship rights) are also mentioned (Cherti et al ., 2013; Brisbois et al ., 2016; Mercier et al ., 2016; Paasche, 2016; Flahaux, 2017).…”