This study identifies issues that are specific to young people with refugee backgrounds, due to their experiences of forced migration and displacement and to the challenges of the post-migration context in Australia.

This study found that current Australian policy and practices lack adequate consideration of health and welfare issues for seriously ill asylum seekers at all stages of the asylum process. In addition, it found that the asylum process in Australia contributes to the deterioration of the mental and physical health of those being processed. This impact...

Asylum seekers go through an extensive assessment process in Australia. Those who are found not to be refugees are removed from Australia by process of law. For those who are seriously ill, removal is a particularly distressing event, leading to a future heavy with the suffering of untreated or under-treated illness.

This report is one of the first to investigate acute health care service utilisation amongst a population from a refugee background in Australia. It compares hospital admissions and related outcomes between Victorian residents born in a number of refugee-source countries and those born in Australia.

The findings of this research are intended to provide policy makers, service providers and organisations working with refugees, with an overview of the broad issues affecting refugee seniors as well as detailed information on the needs of specific communities in Victoria.