TY - JOUR

T1 - Unsafe and unstable housing for refugees and asylum seekers is a threat to intergenerational health

AU - Duclos, Diane

AU - Sharma, Esther

AU - Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi

AU - Marti Castaner, Maria

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Immigration policies in Europe have become increasingly punitive to deter new arrivals and unsettle the people already here.1 These policies translate into increased and protracted periods of uncertainty, including through the normalisation of hostile contingency accommodation, which is detrimental to the health of people seeking asylum2 and has repercussions across generations.At the same time the concept of intergenerational health is gaining traction in public health, recognising how health is affected by intrafamilial factors and the intersection with medical, socioeconomic, racial, and cultural factors between generations.34 This concept also describes how vulnerability is reproduced intergenerationally through legal, economic, social, and political structures.5 It is well established that children’s early years are critical in developing their future health and wellbeing.6 But research on migration has often dismissed how forced displacement, including experiences throughout the resettlement process, can affect infants and young children before they start school.

AB - Immigration policies in Europe have become increasingly punitive to deter new arrivals and unsettle the people already here.1 These policies translate into increased and protracted periods of uncertainty, including through the normalisation of hostile contingency accommodation, which is detrimental to the health of people seeking asylum2 and has repercussions across generations.At the same time the concept of intergenerational health is gaining traction in public health, recognising how health is affected by intrafamilial factors and the intersection with medical, socioeconomic, racial, and cultural factors between generations.34 This concept also describes how vulnerability is reproduced intergenerationally through legal, economic, social, and political structures.5 It is well established that children’s early years are critical in developing their future health and wellbeing.6 But research on migration has often dismissed how forced displacement, including experiences throughout the resettlement process, can affect infants and young children before they start school.

U2 - 10.1136/bmj.q561

DO - 10.1136/bmj.q561

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 38448085

AN - SCOPUS:85187208442

VL - 384

JO - The BMJ

JF - The BMJ

SN - 0959-8146

M1 - q561

ER -