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Refugees, Hiv/Aids And Access To Medical Care: A Case Study Of Cairo, Egypt, Anna Popinchalk

Geography Honors Projects

Urban refugees in Egypt are at high risk for HIV/AIDS because of the lack of adequate health resources, social stability and the intense stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS. Based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews conducted in Cairo, Egypt, this paper uses a vulnerability perspective to examine the challenges facing HIV-positive refugees in accessing necessary medical care. The combination of policy, structural forces and social relations results in a chain of causation that marginalizes refugees in Egyptian society. These social processes results in unequal access to health resources for refugees, thereby increasing their potential exposure to HIV transmission. This …