The human rights issues raised by the conduct of maternal-fetal human immunodeficiency virus transmission trials in Africa are not unique to either acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or Africa, but public discussion of these trials presents an opportunity for the United States and other wealthy nations to take the rights and welfare of impoverished populations seriously. The central issue at stake when developed countries perform research on subjects in developing countries is exploitation. The only way to prevent exploitation of a research population is to insist not only that informed consent be obtained but also that, should an intervention be proven beneficial, the intervention will be delivered to the impoverished population. Human rights are universal and cannot be compromised solely on the basis of beliefs or practices of any one country or group. The challenge to the developed countries is to implement programs to improve the health of the people in developing countries both by improving public health infrastructure and by delivering effective drugs and vaccines to the people.
We assessed the oral health status of 216 refugee torture survivors seeking care at an urban torture treatment center in the United States. Results showed that patients' dental health ranged from poor to fair; 76% had untreated cavities, and approximately 90% required immediate or near-immediate dental care. Torture treatment centers, in addition to offering safe environments for educating and examining patients, are ideal settings to provide basic oral health services without the risk of retraumatization. (Am J
Objectives
This paper seeks to explore the potential value of qigong and t’ai chi practice as a therapeutic intervention to aid in the treatment of survivors of torture and refugee trauma.
Design
The common effects of torture and refugee trauma are surveyed with a focus on post-traumatic stress disorder. An alternative theoretical framework for conceptualizing and healing trauma is presented. Evidence is reviewed from the scientific literature that describes how qigong and t’ai chi have been used in studies of the general population to alleviate symptoms that are also expressed in torture survivors. Observations are presented from a combined, simplified qigong and t’ai chi intervention with a convenience sample of four refugee survivors of torture.
Results
Preliminary observations from four cases and a review of the literature support the potential efficacy of incorporating qigong and t’ai chi into the treatment of survivors of torture and refugee trauma.
Conclusions
The incorporation of qigong and t’ai chi into the treatment of torture survivors, within a new framework for healing trauma, merits further investigation.
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