HEALTH Reminding Ourselves of the Diversity

People coming to live and settle in Victoria continue to be diverse in many complex ways and experiences. They comprise migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and stem from an extraordinary range of countries and ethnic backgrounds. The health status of migrants varies according to a series of factors, including birthplace, fluency in English, process of migration, stage of life, whether the individual is part of an established, emerging or refugee community, and each individual’s balance of protective and risk factors (National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC] 2005, p.17). It is essential to acknowledge that while migrants arrive in Australia with good health, some refugees, asylum seekers, and people in detention centres present with more health problems than other communities. A recent study by the Victoria