Associations between refugee camp living and duration lived in refugee camps with health outcomes: A cross-sectional analysis of the Annual Survey of Refugees, 2021-2022.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Refugees represent a growing, marginalized population who experience significant health disparities. Approximate 20% of refugees live in refugee camps. Quantitative studies examining the health effects of refugees living in refugee camps are limited. We examined whether living in camps (and duration) is associated with worse health among U.S. refugees.

Methods

We used two years of cross-sectional data from the Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR 2021 and 2022), involving refugees ≥ 16 years old who entered the U.S. between FY 2016 and FY 2021. We tested for associations of living in a refugee camp (and duration) with self-reported physical and mental health using separate logistic regression models.

Results

In this national sample of 3,005 refugees (mean age =

SUBMITTER: Thapa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12685216 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature