[Strengthening of social laws and the health of asylum seekers]

Rev Med Suisse. 2008 Nov 26;4(181):2563-4, 2566-8.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Limited access to care due to the new laws and to the patient's state of deprivation can prevent the physician from fulfilling his main duty: to respect principals of medical ethics, and to make the patient feels better without causing harm. In which case, the doctor could become an accomplice of the patient's state of deprivation. A local interdisciplinary working group defined medical criteria for asylum seekers in the Canton of Vaud which justifies health insurance coverage and/or accommodation adapted to the patient's state of health. The hardening of laws contributes to increase the anxiety of uncertainty and social stigmatization. Such sufferings open onto devastating health problems, particularly concerning mental health.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Health Services Accessibility*
  • Humans
  • Politics
  • Refugees*
  • Vulnerable Populations