ABSTRACT
CARE FOR EXILED PEOPLE CROSSING THE BORDER: On the French-Italian border, Vintimille and Briançon are towns through which many migrants pass. The Médecins du monde nursing teams, working with other volunteer associations, provide care and a listening ear through outreach interventions or in temporary housing structures. They monitor migrants' health and initiate their healthcare pathway, guiding them towards adapted care facilities.
Subject(s)
Nursing Care , Refugees , Transients and Migrants , France , Humans , ItalyABSTRACT
Background: In 2015, more than 1 million refugees arrived in Europe. During their travels, refugees often face harsh conditions, violence and torture in transit countries, but there is a lack of quantitative evidence on their experiences. We present the results of a retrospective survey among refugees in the 'Jungle' of Calais, France, to document their health problems and the violence they endured during their journeys. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional population-based survey in November and December 2015. The sample size was set at 402 individuals, and geospatial simple random sampling was used. We collected data on demographics, routes travelled, health status, violence and future plans. Results: Departures from the country of origin increased beginning in September 2015. Sixty-one percent of respondents reported having at least one health problem, especially while in Calais. Overall, 65.6% (95% CI 60.3-70.6) experienced at least one violent event en route; 81.5% of refugees wanted to go to the UK. Conclusions: This first quantitative survey conducted among refugees in Europe provides important socio-demographic data on refugees living in Calais and describes the high rate of violence they encountered during their journeys. Similar documentation should be repeated throughout Europe in order to better respond to the needs of this vulnerable population.
