Sarah Techlenborg
Country: Ireland
Research Project: STI Risk and Prevention among Refugees in Long Term Post-|Emergency Phase Refugee Camps in Africa - A Systematic Review
Distinct factors associated with refugee status are believed to fuel an increase in sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence among this population. The control of STIs in long term refugee camps is a difficult and poorly researched area. There are approximately 2.5 million refugees living in long term camps in sub-Saharan Africa at present. The emergency phase of interventions for these displaced populations is prioritised by the needs of food, shelter and water. The control of STIs is not considered a necessity in these resource constrained settings. In long term post-emergency phase camps however STI control becomes an issue. This review aimed to analyse the published data on specific risk factors and the prevalence of STIs in refugee camps in Africa. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, SCIRUS and the Cochrane databases. 1322 articles were assessed for their relevance and from these 21 articles specific to the context of long term refugee camps were chosen for analysis.
The results highlighted a distinct lack of published data in the area of STI prevention and control in refugee camps. There were however some good studies identifying the specific risk factors faced by refugees, these include rates of transactional sex, low status of women, lack of education, low employment levels and stigma. Community-based interventions were the most successful programmes targeting behavioural changes, education and the provision of condoms.
As each situation is unique there is a need for a standardised framework of prevention and control practises that are based on well researched, published studies which can be adapted and directed towards each situation as necessary.
Key words: Refugee, STI prevention and control, camps, Africa.
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