UK offshore immigration detention: why the medical community should act now

Essex, Ryan; Kalocsányiová, Erika; Timberlake, Frances; Welander, Marta

doi:10.1177/0141076821994271

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The results reported in this study, which almost unequivocally suggest that offshore detention results in far worse health outcomes for detainees, have broader, global relevance. As several high-income countries continue to externalise migration controls and explore/turn to the use of offshore detention (Essex et al, 2021), our findings support those advocating for an end to offshore and even all immigration detention.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Health and health care in Australian immigration detention: a comparison between onshore and offshore data

Kalocsányiová,

Essex

2023

IJMHSC

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Purpose This study aims to compare the impact of Australian onshore and offshore immigration detention centres (IDCs) on detainees’ health and health-care events. Design/methodology/approach It uses data extracted from the Australian Government’s quarterly health reports from 2014 to 2017. These reports contain a range of data about the health and well-being of detainees, including complaints/presenting symptoms and number of appointments and hospitalisations. To compare onshore and offshore data sets, the authors calculated the rate of health events per quarter against the estimated quarterly onshore and offshore detention population. They ran a series of two-proportion z-tests for each matched quarter to calculate median z- and p-values for all quarters. These were used as an indicator as to whether the observed differences between onshore and offshore events were statistically significant. Findings The results suggest that adults detained onshore and offshore have substantial health needs, however, almost all rates were far higher in offshore detention, with people more likely to raise a health-related complaint, access health services and be prescribed medications, often at two to three times the rate of those onshore. Originality/value This paper adds to a modest body of literature that explains the health of people detained in Australian IDCs. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to explore health service utilisation and a range of other variables found in the Australian Government’s quarterly health reports. These findings bolster the evidence which suggests that detention, and particularly offshore detention is particularly harmful to health.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Health and health care in Australian immigration detention: a comparison between onshore and offshore data

Kalocsányiová,

Essex

2023

IJMHSC

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“…Finally, while we have called for caution in relation to the generalisability of these results, several conclusions can still be drawn. At this point in time a number of countries seeking to emulate these policies [ 32 ]. Our results should serve as a warning for other countries that are looking to model Australia’s approach to immigration detention and, in particular, offshore immigration detention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Distress in Australian Onshore and Offshore Immigration Detention Centres from 2014–2018

Essex

Kalocsányiová

Young

et al. 2022

J Immigrant Minority Health

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This study examines the impact of length of detention and location of detention on psychological distress amongst Australian immigration detainees. This study employs a repeated measures cross-sectional study, utilising Australian government data from 2014 to 2018 that relied on the Kessler-10 (K10) to measure psychological distress. There were 21,703 assessments conducted which included 15,264 assessment onshore over a 5 year period and 6439 assessments offshore over a 3 year period. The mean overall K10 score onshore was 18.85, while offshore it was 24.37. K10 scores increased with length of time detained both onshore and offshore, with K10 scores offshore generally higher at each time point. The results of this study add to a growing body of evidence that suggests that length of time detained and particularly offshore detention has a substantial impact on mental health.

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“…14 At the time of writing, the UK government is exploring further possibilities which will marginalise and punish migrants, as it considers offshore processing, notwithstanding the disastrous impact this has had elsewhere in the world. 15 This comes alongside the widely criticised use of ex-army barracks to accommodate asylum seekers and the more recent proposals to turn back boats of people attempting to cross the English Channel. 16 This of course has all happened while the UK continues to come to terms with the COVID-19 pandemic, an issue which has disproportionality impacted those most marginalised and only further re-enforced the need for universal access to healthcare.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%