34. Endresen, L., Hanssen-Bauer, J., and Pedersen, J. Availability of Public Health Data for Palestinian Refugees. Paper prepared for the Middle-East Negotiations: Multilateral Working Group on Refugees, Rome, January 1997. Oslo, Norway: FAFO, Institute of Applied Social Science, 1997: 26 pp.

This document presents an overview of available data on public health for Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Such data are available in the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan, despite the difficulty in breaking them down according to refugee status. In Syria and Lebanon, the data are very limited. The paper suggests the need for a standardized survey tool, such as the Rapid Living Conditions Appraisal, described in the appendix. Available data show high levels of mental health problems in the area in general, particularly among refugees. Data also indicate that the health status is similar for refugees and non-refugees in the West Bank and Gaza. A need for better integration of services for refugees is reported. In regards to Jordan, data indicate poorer health status among refugees than non-refugees. The appendix contains a bibliography of public health literature concerning Palestinian refugees.