Establishing a mental health system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Vulnerability and psychosocial health experienced by repatriated children in Kosovo

Accounts are increasing of non-voluntary deportations of Kosovar adolescents from European countries to Kosovo, and human rights organizations have condemned deportation practices endorsed by European governments for being violent and detrimental to adolescents' physical and psychosocial health and well-being. However, research remains scarce on the connections among migration, repatriation and reintegration realities, and adolescents' experiences of psychosocial health and well-being. This article describes how adolescent returnees living in Kosovo express their emotional distress, their struggle with negative living conditions, and their exposure to violence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 adolescents with very high-level post-traumatic stress and depression symptomatology and a General Health Questionnaire score of 40 or higher. This empirical data provided in-depth information about the adolescents' narratives of symptoms and illness, explanations of symptom and illness causation, ongoing stressors and the impacts these factors have on their health and well-being. The study found that suffering and related health problems are associated with a sense of loss and ongoing social isolation, economic problems, precarious living conditions, and discrimination. The adolescents' lack of social and economic capital makes accessing appropriate resources and professional help for their health and social problems extremely difficult. In the discussion and conclusion section, recommendations are made for the development of appropriate and holistic psychosocial interventions focusing on well-being and human rights.

Mental health needs and services in the West Bank, Palestine

BACKGROUND

Palestine is a low income country with scarce resources, which is seeking independence. This paper discusses the high levels of mental health need found amongst Palestinian people, and examines services, education and research in this area with particular attention paid to the West Bank.

METHODS

CINAHL, PubMed, and Science Direct were used to search for materials.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Evidence from this review is that there is a necessity to increase the availability and quality of mental health care. Mental health policy and services in Palestine need development in order to better meet the needs of service users and professionals. It is essential to raise awareness of mental health and increase the integration of mental health services with other areas of health care. Civilians need their basic human needs met, including having freedom of movement and seeing an end to the occupation. There is a need to enhance the resilience and capacity of community mental health teams. There is a need to increase resources and offer more support, up-to-date training and supervision to mental health teams.