Refugee Women Resettling in the United States at Mid-Life aftter Ethnic Cleansing

This is a case study of two women resettling in the United States after surviving ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and a discussion of refugee women at mid-life. We learned about their lives through their participation in testimony and biographical interviewing. Daniel Levinson's study of women's lives provides a frame for thinking about the refugee woman's life after ethnic cleansing. The mid-life refugee woman's experience in the private and public spheres is changed by their traumas, but also by the transition from early to middle adul thood. Her recovery will be further shaped by the contours of her continued adult development as will the lives of her children.Ceci est une étude de cas portant sur deux femmes s'installant pour vivre aux États-Unis après avoir survécu à l'expérience de la purification ethnique en Bosnie. Il s'agit aussi d'une discussion de la question de la femme quadragénaire réfugiée. Nous avons eu accès aux détails de la vie de ces deux femmes grâce à leur participation à des témoignages et à des entrevues à visée biographique. L'étude de Daniel Levinson sur la vie de la femme produit le cadre de départ permettant de poser le problème de la vie de la femme réfugiée après le drame de la purification ethnique. L'expérience de la femme quadragénaire dans les sphères publiques et privées est tranformée par le traumatisme qu'elle a vécu, mais tout autant par la transition qui la voit passer de jeune adulte à adulte mûre. Son rétablissement sera désormais façonné par le profil de son développement continu dans la vie adulte. Il en est autant de la vie de ses enfants

The relative contribution of war experiences and exile-related stressors to levels of psychological distress among Bosnian refugees.

This study examined the relative contribution of 2 exile-related variables-social isolation and daily activity level-and war experiences of violence and loss, to levels of PTSD and depressive symptomatology in 2 groups of Bosnian refugees, 1 clinical group (N = 59) and the other a nonclinical community (N = 40) group. As hypothesized, exposure to war-related violence was highly predictive of PTSD symptoms in both groups; in addition, social isolation was significantly related to PTSD symptomatology in the community group. In contrast, depressive symptomatology was accounted for primarily by the exile-related stressors. For the clinical group, depressive symptoms were also accounted for by experiences of war-related loss. The implications of these findings for mental health interventions with refugees are considered. KEY WORDS: war; exile; distress. Indtroduction Research on the mental health of refugees has focused primarily on understanding the etiological role of premigration, war-related experiences in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), the two most frequently documented psychiatric syndromes in studies of refugee population

Factors contributing to healthcare professional burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid turnaround global survey.

BackgroundHealthcare professionals (HCPs) on the front lines against COVID-19 may face increased workload and stress. Understanding HCPs' risk for burnout is critical to supporting HCPs and maintaining the quality of healthcare during the pandemic.MethodsTo assess exposure, perceptions, workload, and possible burnout of HCPs during the COVID-19 pandemic we conducted a cross-sectional survey. The main outcomes and measures were HCPs' self-assessment of burnout, indicated by a single item measure of emotional exhaustion, and other experiences and attitudes associated with working during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsA total of 2,707 HCPs from 60 countries participated in this study. Fifty-one percent of HCPs reported burnout. Burnout was associated with work impacting household activities (RR = 1·57, 95% CI = 1·39-1·78, PInterpretationBurnout is present at higher than previously reported rates among HCPs working during the COVID-19 pandemic and is related to high workload, job stress, and time pressure, and limited organizational support. Current and future burnout among HCPs could be mitigated by actions from healthcare institutions and other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders aimed at potentially modifiable factors, including providing additional training, organizational support, and support for family, PPE, and mental health resources