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Health home > Immigrant health home | |||||
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Victorian Immigrant Health Program (VIHP)Refugees and those with refugee-like backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to poor health, and have both different and complex health issues compared with the broader Australian community. As a result of experiences prior to and following arrival and resettlement, the health status of recently arrived refugees is likely to be poorer than that for Australian - born residents. It is widely recognised that the complex health needs of refugees are not being adequately met post-immigration to Australia in a considerable number of cases. Basic health issues such as vaccination coverage that health care providers might take for granted as having been attended to are known to be a major area of deficiency in refugee populations. Other factors also contribute to difficulties with accessing appropriate and comprehensive care. These include difficulties with language and literacy, lack of familiarity with the health care system, lack of awareness of refugee health issues among the health providing community, as well as the fragmented nature of current health care delivery for the refugee population. The Victorian Immigrant Health Program (VIHP) is a unique, collaborative program based at the Royal Children’s Hospital, developed to address the challenges refugees and those providing services need to overcome. Collaborative efforts between the VIHP and key organisations have identified priority areas in refugee health which need to be addressed. The VIHP, through it’s central facilitatory and coordinating role has highlighted the following key areas for improvement: enhanced communication and collaboration between different refugee health service delivery sectors , workforce development, health education for refugees as well as policy development and identification of priority research areas. The VIHP is supported by the Public Health Group, Department of Human Services together with the University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Royal Children’s Hospital. For further information on the VIHP or other enquires related to
refugee health issues please contact: Documents for download
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Last updated:
1 February, 2005 This web site is managed and authorised by the Social & Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Group, Rural & Regional Health & Aged Care Services Division of the Victorian State Government, Department of Human Services, Australia |
