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Nutritional Risk Factors for Older Refugees
Author(s) -
Pieterse Simone,
Ismail Suraiya
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
disasters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-7717
pISSN - 0361-3666
DOI - 10.1111/1467-7717.00217
Subject(s) - refugee , disadvantaged , environmental health , medicine , gerontology , occupational safety and health , poison control , malnutrition , business , socioeconomics , geography , economic growth , sociology , economics , archaeology , pathology
This study describes risk factors for poor nutrition among older Rwandan refugees. The most important areas of nutritional risk for older refugees are: physical ability and mobility; income and access to land; access to appropriate food rations; meeting basic needs such as water, fuel, shelter; equal access to essential services (food distribution, health services, mills, feeding programmes); and psycho‐social trauma. Women and older elderly (>70 years) are significantly more often in disadvantaged positions, such as having poor socio‐economic status, poor health, poor mobility, lower food intake, diminished social status, respect and social network. Older refugees are at higher risk than younger refugees and at higher risk than older people in stable situations. They should remain in good nutritional and general health for their own well‐being and that of their dependants. In addition to an adequate diet, a support network seems to be an important preventive aspect.