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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/12478
Title: Exploring the Health and Health Care Experiences of Refugee and Refugee Claimant Women in Hamilton, Ontario: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Cho, Jenny
Advisor: Newbold, Bruce K.
John Eyles, Alllison Williams
Department: School of Geography and Geology
Keywords: refugee women;refugee claimant women;health;health care;feminist geography;determinants of health;Human Geography;Human Geography
Publication Date: Oct-2012
Abstract: <p>Refugee women experience important physical and mental health disparities which are often unmet during resettlement to host countries. These health disparities have been attributed to the gendering of the refugee process, such that women are more vulnerable to gender-specific violence and abuse during flight from war and conflict. Despite having unmet health needs, they face multiple barriers to leading healthy lives and healing during resettlement to a new host country. This paper seeks to respond to the need for research in understanding the health of refugee women in western nations within feminist geographical scholarship by exploring the ‘lived experiences’ of refugee and refugee claimant women during resettlement to Hamilton, Ontario. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups with key informants (n=9) and refugee women and refugee claimant women (n=37) from various source countries. Results from this study provide in-depth understandings on the experiences of resettlement including the particular challenges refugee and refugee claimant women face in attempting to rebuild their lives in Canada. Perceptions of good health are closely related to various dimensions of gender (roles and identities) and citizenship (status). This paper explores important health determinants as expressed by the participants: pre-migration experiences, citizenship (status), employment and housing experiences and health care during resettlement. Accounts from this study reflect the need to address ongoing immigration reform and refugee policy in a manner that will honour Canada’s commitment to international humanitarian agreements such as the 1951 Geneva Convention.</p>
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/12478
Identifier: opendissertations/7362
8415
3321300
Appears in Collections:Open Access Dissertations and Theses

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