Hearts, as well as Minds: Wellbeing and Illness among Greek Cypriot Refugees
Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
p.loizos{at}lse.ac.uk
Recently the psycho-social health of refugees has rightly received emphasis, but the physical health of long-term refugees warrants similar attention. This paper uses qualitative and quantitative data on informant-reported health outcomes for two Greek Cypriot village cohorts, one displaced, the other not displaced. Supplementary data from a national diabetes prevalence study confirmed a possible link between refugee status and greater probability of cardiovascular illness. Depressive illness also seemed higher among the refugee village cohort. But it is not only the illness of some of these refugees, but their surviving this, and the comparative wellness of others which is important, compared with the ‘demographic shock’ victims of post-socialist Europe, 1989–1995. The paper suggests why the Greek Cypriots have done rather better in health terms than the post-socialists of Eastern Europe, 1989–1995, but argues that refugees in failing states may have much worse health outcomes.
Key Words: refugee health • reported cardiovascular illness • Greek Cypriots • wellness • protective factors
with the assistance of David Hanton
MS received January 1, 2006
; revised MS received May 1, 2006
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