Undocumentedness and public policy: The impact on communities, individuals, and families along the Arizona/Sonora border

Mixed-Status Immigrant Families in the United States: The Role of Social Justice in Intervention Research

More than 4 million unauthorized parents of legal status children currently reside in the United States (Capps, Fix, & Zong, 2016). Developmental scientists and intervention researchers hoping to work with these mixed-status families face a myriad of challenges, largely generated from the population's policy-driven social exclusion. Despite the challenges, there is a moral imperative to work with and support parents and children currently living in mixed-status households. This chapter applies a social justice perspective, largely stemming from Prilleltensky's critical community psychological framework, to improve the relevance and usefulness of research on mixed-status families (Prilleltensky & Nelson, 1997). We discuss the utility of this social justice perspective in theory building, study design and implementation, and dissemination of findings regarding mixed-status families, with exemplars from recent research.

Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors: Where to Begin

The number of unaccompanied immigrant minors (UIMs) from Central America significantly increased in 2014. Nearly 50,000 children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras crossed the United States-Mexico border in 2014, compared with 3,933 in 2011. Few resources exist to guide pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) in their care of UIM. The multifactorial reasons behind migration and the state of children's health in Central America provide insight into the needs of UIMs. Guidelines for similar groups such as foreign-born children and refugees offer direction for the health care considerations of UIMs. This article provides demographic information on UIMs, highlights the unique and challenging medical and mental health issues facing UIMs, and discusses the role of the PNP. A UIM's initial visit with a PNP serves as an opportunity to build trust through culturally competent, trauma-informed care, provide preventive care, assess for unmet health needs, and screen for mental health conditions.

Healthcare needs of displaced women: Osire refugee camp, Namibia

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of healthcare needs of displaced women in the Osire refugee camp in Namibia.

BACKGROUND

Namibia is a country where displaced people from other African countries seek refuge as a result of their own country's political instability. All displaced people are hosted in the Osire camp, which is a highly protected area. There are more women than men in the camp and their health is often compromised.

METHODS

In this descriptive phenomenological study, the natural dimension of the experiences of the participants of their healthcare needs were explored through in-depth interviews and reflected upon through transcendental processes to formulate the phenomenological dimension thereof.

FINDINGS

The essence of displaced women's healthcare needs was "the need for the restoration of hope and human dignity". Their needs refer to measures to enhance their autonomy and freedom; skills training; certainty about their future; security with aid distribution; protection against stigmatization due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; protection against abuse; and participation in reproductive health care.

DISCUSSION

When displaced women are admitted in a camp they lose their freedom to make decisions about everyday functioning and future. They thus develop feelings of insecurity and vulnerability.

CONCLUSION

The participants referred to several factors that were detrimental for their well-being. The essence of their needs was "the need for the restoration of hope and human dignity" that could only be achieved when their needs are addressed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

As nurses are in close contact with displaced women in refugee camps they should negotiate opportunities for the women to discuss their concerns with the camp officials.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Policies should make provision for the involvement of displaced people in all aspects that relate to their everyday and future living arrangements.