Mental and Physical Health Consequences of Repatriation for Vietnamese Returnees: A Natural Experiment Approach

Abstract

While there is much speculation about the potential consequences of repatriation, systematic comparisons of health outcomes employing standard measures and appropriate population-based samples of migration returnees and non-returnees are virtually non-existent. This study addresses this significant gap in the empirical literature by employing standard measures of mental and physical health outcomes for comparable samples of repatriated international migration returnees now living in Ho Chi Minh City; never-leavers living in the same urban wards; and emigrants from Vietnam who successfully settled in a major U.S. metropolitan area (total n=709; data were collected between 2003 and 2005). Key outcome measures examined include eight health subscales from the SF-36; depression; affect balance; blood pressure; BMI and waist-hip ratio; and two behavioral indicators of stress (alcohol and cigarette consumption). The results revealed consistent health disadvantages for the returnees on self-reported mental and physical health outcomes and for blood pressure with respect to our comparison groups of never-leavers and immigrants.

A Systematic Review on Harmful Alcohol Use Among Civilian Populations Affected by Armed Conflict in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…The results on patterns of harmful alcohol use are summarised in Table 1 among adults ranged from 5.5% among Burmese male refugees in Thailand to 17% among Vietnamese refugees who repatriated back to Vietnam. (Fu & Van Landingham, 2010) A study of IDPs in Georgia found that 12% of men and 2% of women were classified as engaging in episodic heavy drinking (more than 60 grams of pure alcohol per drinking session in the past seven days). Alcohol use in adolescents (aged <18 years) was reported from seven studies.…”

“…One study with Vietnamese returnees found no significant association. (Fu & Van Landingham, 2010) Two studies examined the influence of education level and harmful alcohol use. (Fu & Van Landingham, 2010; Jordans, Murphy, A study of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal found that higher educational status had a protective effect on harmful alcohol use, while the study with Vietnamese returnees found no significant association between education level and harmful alcohol use.…”

“…(Fu & Van Landingham, 2010) Two studies examined the influence of education level and harmful alcohol use. (Fu & Van Landingham, 2010; Jordans, Murphy, A study of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal found that higher educational status had a protective effect on harmful alcohol use, while the study with Vietnamese returnees found no significant association between education level and harmful alcohol use. (Fu & Van Landingham, 2010) Evidence on other types of demographic factors was limited to a study of university students in the Gaza strip which observed that being single (rather than married) was associated with alcohol abuse.…”

‘Knocking on doors that never open’: examining discourses of rejected asylum seekers from Kosova

“…Research suggests that programs which offer assistance immediately upon return are more likely to benefit returnees because they reinforce a sense of safety and belonging (Ruben et al, 2009). Although many different kinds of assistance programs exist, return migrants report feeling let down by their institutions and highlight the lack of services to assist with resettlement and reintegration (Fu & Vanlandingham, 2010;Gillespie et al, 2009). Of specific concern, many repatriation programs provide limited information about living conditions in the country of origin.…”

“…Migration often exposes returnees to particular health risks, while limiting the resources needed to address these risks (Collinson, 2010). For example, living conditions while awaiting asylum, length of stay in a host country, access to health services upon return, as well as the migration journey itself can impact health (Fu & Vanlandingham, 2010;Hasanovic, Sinanovic, & Pavlovic, 2005;von Lersner et al, 2008).…”