Resilience and discrimination: unravelling the multifaceted nature of refugee health in Germany

Abstract

The complex topic of health involves various determinants that impact refugees differently from the general population. Refugees' experience itself serves as a determinant, interacting with individual and socio-economic factors throughout the migratory cycle, making them particularly vulnerable. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in its focus on resilience as a key protective factor for refugee health. It deepens the understanding of how resilience can be related to health and its relationship with discrimination and loneliness. This study focuses on refugees in Germany and, via a structural equation model with data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees, drives our attention to the many critical dimensions of refugees’ reception, not only as material support but also as a positive interrelation between refugees and the host society. Among the main results, it stands out how feeling or being discriminated against, as well as experiencing social isolation and suffering the distance from friends, worsens refugees’ health directly. Moreover, discrimination increases the feeling of loneliness, further contributing to poorer health. In this framework, resilience has been proven to play a role in smoothing hard times in refugees’ lives.