Refugee Health: Making a Difference in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review

Refugees are among, if not, the most at risk population for undergoing health disparities for a variety of reasons, including their relocation, their poverty, as well as the actual demographics of refugees of which 80% are women and children. Thirty percent of the 9.2 million refugees and 25 million displaced persons in the world are found in SubSaharan Africa, however only 10% of literature on refugee health deals with this region. A literature review using Pub Med for the past ten years was conducted to identify publication looking at Sub-Saharan refugees still in the region. The original search found 413 references. This was narrowed to include those that show the way to improvements. Selection criteria involved identification of studies that implemented and/or evaluated intervention programs in this population, rather then merely describing the problems faced. 33 articles were identified dealing with a range of topics, but focused on infectious disease, reproductive health, food and water, and psychological well-being. No other literature review was found for refugee health in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only one article was found showing an intervention for HIV/AIDS and none were found for Tuberculosis intervention in the Sub-Saharan refugee population, despite their high prevalence.