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The New H5 Model of Refugee Trauma and Recovery

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Violence and Mental Health

Abstract

Refugees and internally displaced persons remain high on the international priority agenda as a result of war, inter-ethnic conflict and other forms of violent conflict. 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by violent conflict with an estimated 40 % of post-conflict societies returning to conflict within 10 years. This chapter focuses on the health and mental health impact on the refugee experience. A new model of refugee care called the H 5 Model of Refugee Trauma and Recovery is presented. The centerpiece of this model is the appreciation of the traumatic life history of refugees and their communities including past, present and threatening future traumatic life events.

The five elements of the H 5 Model taken up in detail include: (1) Human Rights; (2) Humiliation; (3) Healing (self-care); (4) Health Promotion; (5) Habitat and Housing.

The cultural and scientific evidence behind this model is presented. This chapter lays out a roadmap for the implementation of a new approach to the recovery of refugee communities worldwide.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HRPT), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, USA

    Richard F. Mollica

  2. Australian Aboriginal and Torres, Islander Healing Foundation, Canberra, Australia

    Robert T. Brooks

  3. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Robert T. Brooks

  4. Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program, Harvard Program in Refugee (HRPT) Trauma, Cambridge, USA

    Robert T. Brooks

  5. Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), Cultural Medicine Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Solvig Ekblad

  6. Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Newton, MA, USA

    Solvig Ekblad

  7. Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HRTP), Cambridge, MA, USA

    Solvig Ekblad

  8. World Bank, Washington, D.C., USA

    Laura McDonald

Authors
  1. Richard F. Mollica
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  2. Robert T. Brooks
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  3. Solvig Ekblad
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  4. Laura McDonald
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard F. Mollica .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Emden, Emden, Germany

    Jutta Lindert

  2. University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Itzhak Levav

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Mollica, R.F., Brooks, R.T., Ekblad, S., McDonald, L. (2015). The New H5 Model of Refugee Trauma and Recovery. In: Lindert, J., Levav, I. (eds) Violence and Mental Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8999-8_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8999-8_16

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