Medical
Medical Webinars
Healing the Hurt: A Guide for Developing Services for Torture Survivors, Medical Services, Chapter 5
Helping Refugee Trauma Survivors in the Primary Care Setting
Written for primary health care providers who may be treating refugees or other survivors of war trauma and torture. Primary care physicians and providers often must identify and educate survivors before encouraging them to seek mental health services, if appropriate. The manual includes assessment questions for health care providers to ask patients and facilitate the treatment process.
Bibliographies
Medical Articles & Databases Online
RCT Field Manual on Rehabilitation. Produced by the Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Copenhagen, this extensive document is intended to meet the need for sound, evidence-based and/or consensus-based advice in attempts to rehabilitate survivors of torture or organised violence. It is an attempt to provide practical recommendations for health workers at different skill levels, who are in difficult situations with little or no specialized professional help available. (Available in multiple formats at the RCT's web site, including a complete PDF.)
Lustig SL, Kureshi S, Delucchi KL, Iacopino V, Morse SC. Asylum grant rates following medical evaluations of maltreatment among political asylum applicants in the United States. J Immigr Minor Health. 2008 Feb;10(1):7-15. Abstract (free), full text PDF available by subscription
PubMed
PubMed Central offers an accessible database of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. It is developed and managed through the National Institute of Health.
Medical Groups
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is a national organization for physicians. It is the largest physician's group.
Doctors for Global Health
Doctors for Global Health works to address issues of human rights, health, education and art throughout the world. It started in 1995 by a network of volunteers to accompany communities to fulfill their most immediate health needs. Members consist of various health professionals, as well as non-health care affiliated persons (e.g., artists, teachers, attorneys, students, and others).
EthnoMed
Information about cultural beliefs, medical issues and other related issues pertinent to the health care of specific immigrant and cultural groups, many of whom are refugees fleeing war-torn parts of the world is available through this Web site. Medical information is available in multiple languages. Local community resources for immigrants and refugees living in the Seattle, Washington area are accessible through this website.
Examining Asylum Seekers: A Health Professional's Guide to Medical and Psychological Evaluations of Torture
Examining Asylum Seekers: A Health Professional's Guide to Medical and Psychological Evaluations of Torture is published by the organization, Physicians for Human Rights. The unabridged version is available through a pdf file on their website. Copies of the manual can also be ordered from their website.
From Persecution to Prison: The Health Consequences of Detention for Asylum Seekers
This article discuses the health effects of detention on asylum seekers. It also suggests ways that the practice of long term detention of asylum seekers could be modified.
HealthRight International - Human Rights Clinic
HealthRight International is a global health and human rights organization working to build lasting access to health for excluded communities. HealthRight's Human Rights Clinic Project in the United States assists survivors of torture and other gross human rights abuses seeking asylum and other immigration relief in the United States. It provides pro bono forensic medical and mental health evaluations and affidavits for survivors and connects them to follow-up services, including medical and mental health care.
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (MF), a registered charity established in 1985, is the only organisation in the UK dedicated solely to the treatment of torture survivors.
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian non-governmental organization that was created in 1971 by a group of doctors and journalists in France. MSF works through its principles of medical ethics and impartiality to bring quality medical care to people caught in crisis regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation.
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
The NationalCenter for PTSD (NCPTSD) aims to advance the clinical care and social welfare of U.S. Veterans through research, education and training on PTSD and stress-related disorders.
Office of Global Health Affairs
The Office of Global Health Affairs, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, helps to promote the global partnerships and strategies that benefit the health and well-being of people living in the U.S. They coordinate refugee health policies across various governmental departments. Their Web site offers access to data global health data and country specific health-related information.
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is an organization of health professionals, scientists and concerned citizens using the medical and forensic sciences to investigate and prevent violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. They offer access to order publications related to the evaluation and treatment of torture survivors. They offer training materials relevant for health professionals who perform medical evaluations of asylum seekers.
Refugee Health Information Network
The Refugee Health Information Network (RHIN) is a national collaborative partnership managed by refugee health professionals, that provides multilingual, health information resources for those providing care to resettled refugees and asylees.
Unrecognized Torture Affects the Health of Refugees
Article originally published in Minnesota Medicine 2002 May;85(5):35-9, a monthly publication by the Minnesota Medical Association. Available through libraries. This article is authored by current and former medical staff from the Center for Victims of Torture, including: Holtan, Antolak, Johnson, Ide, Jaranson, and Ta.
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a division of the United Nations whose primary goal is the attainment of highest level of health for all persons. The WHO is governed by the 192 Member States of the World Health Assembly. Through their Web site visitors can access country-specific health information.
The World Medical Association
The World Medical Association is an international organization of physicians who work to promote the highest international standards of medical education, ethics, and health care for people throughout the world.
The World Psychiatric Association (WPA)
The World Psychiatric Association was organized in 1950, with the purpose of the advancement of psychiatry and the promotion of mental health throughout the world. They publish World Psychiatry, the official journal of the World Psychiatric Association.
Nursing Links
American Nurses Association
The American Nurses Association Web site offers access to the American Nurses Association (ANA) position statements on ethics and human rights.
The Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
This site has a useful page on the nurse-patient relationship, with bibliographies and other helpful links.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN)
The International Council of Nurses is an international federation of national nurses associations representing over 120 countries. They address global health policies related to the providing quality nursing care for all. They offer position papers on issues related to health and human rights.
Nursing Center
The Nursing Center Web site offers access to articles on nursing care and torture survivors.
