FIVE YEARS FOLLOW-UP OF UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT HUNGER STRIKERS

Introduction and Objective In 2009, 650 undocumented migrant workers organised several hunger strikes in Belgium to obtain a legal status. The medical follow-up of these strikes were done by family physician and medical students. The aim of this study is to describe their social and health status five years after the hunger strike. Method One hundred participants from a hunger strike were asked to complete a questionnaire five years after the hunger strike. The questionnaire investigated about their administrative, social, economic and health situation. It was a partial hunger strike that lasted for 59 days. The questionnaire was completed during an interview. Results and Conclusions Forty-six out of 100 hunger strikers completed the questionnaire. The age of the responders was on average 36.8 (SD=6.4) years and ranged between 25 and 50 years. Only four were women, 52% were married and they originated from 12 different countries. Before travelling to Belgium only 17% had health problem. Five years after the strike, 65% complained of chronic health problems. They suffered from allergy, low back pain, gastro-intestinal problems and mental problems. Fifty-six percent related these health problems to the hunger strike. Thirty percent took medication prescribed by a physician, 43% auto medicated. Still 45% of the participants didn’t have a legal status, after being on average 11 years in the country. Fifty-two percent of the participants who didn’t obtain benefits from the hunger strike regret their participation while 68% of those who obtained benefits would do it again.