The Individual and Organizational Role of Physicians in Mitigating the Biological, Psychological and Social Health Consequences of Displacement

The number of Internally Displaced People is growing globally with a significant number travelling to countries such as Canada. These individuals have unique health care needs that are significantly impacted by several social determinants of health, which provides a challenge to the physician as they must address the biological, psychological and social factors in order to effectively improve the health of this population. The physician must work at the individual, national, and international levels and collaborate with other health care workers in order to effectively address these complex health care issues. Some recent strategies that show promise in targeting these complex care issues include knowledge sharing among medical professionals, specialized treatment approaches including treatment through telemedicine as well as political advocacy. The application of strategies such as these, along with increased awareness and commitment from physicians, will work to improve health care and prevent negative health outcomes in this growing population.