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International Journal of
Population Studies Cultural identity and health risks in forced migration

the outset (Lau & Rodgers, 2021b). Furthermore, Curtis promise, improving mental health outcomes for migrants
et al. (2019) have emphasized the critical importance by supplying help and guidance from others who have
of involving community members and leaders in the faced comparable circumstances (Forray et al., 2024). Such
planning and provision of health services. Community- initiatives could provide a sense of community and common
based treatments that leverage local cultural brokers can understanding for individuals grappling with the aftermath
cultivate trust, enhance health outcomes, and thus help of displacement. Programs pairing displaced people with
bridge trust divides between medical professionals and individuals who have navigated similar hardships allow
immigrant communities (Luig et al., 2023). Cultural holistic caregiving that recognizes both the medical and
practices must endure if displaced groups are to retain their social aspects of the recovery of mental health. Culturally
cultural identities. The existing research indicates that the grounded applications of conventional treatment models
preservation of cultural continuities notably enhances the also acknowledge the lived experiences of people displaced
psychological well-being of immigrant populations (Lee from their homes (Warren & Nigbur, 2024).
et al., 2023). Policies instituted by host communities that The complex challenges that confront displaced
encourage the preservation of the customs, languages, and populations require nuanced and multipronged solutions.
rituals of immigrants can mitigate cultural disruptions. Policymakers must acknowledge the associations between
Such initiatives adopted to preserve their cultural cultural identities and vulnerabilities. Environments
contexts offer immigrants avenues for sustaining their promoting resilience and well-being can emerge when
traditions. Freudenberg’s thorough investigation (2020) responsive and culturally aware policies and undertakings
demonstrated that festivals and community hubs allow are instituted. Some solutions require healthcare to be
diverse groups to share their distinctive backgrounds, directly addressed; others necessitate investment in
safeguard discrete identities, and foster togetherness and education or culture preservation. Mental health assistance
assimilation into welcoming neighborhoods. Moreover, and legal protections complete initiatives that respect
programs inculcating appreciation for differing heritages and uphold immigrant identities. Decision-makers can
can help diverse collectives feel respected in their adopted integrate these dimensions into comprehensive plans to
homelands and strengthen civic bonds by increasing enhance the welfare of displaced populations and mitigate
the probabilities of long-established and newly-arrived the negative effects of migration. However, achieving this
residents engaging and collaborating on mutually feat mandates receptive leadership that views cultural
beneficial projects (Jennissen et al., 2022). diversity as integral and not incidental.
Educational initiatives that immerse immigrant 5. Conclusion
populations in their cultural histories greatly benefit the
preservation of their cultural identities. Lara and Volante The harsh realities of forced migrations pose a dire
(2019) emphasized the incorporation of multicultural threat to cultural identities because uprooted peoples
curricula and mother-tongue-based instruction in struggle to find firm footing in unfamiliar lands and
schools in which immigrant children are educated. Such grapple with the necessity of adapting to foreign ways of
educational programs help young immigrants acquire life. Involuntary relocations shatter community ties and
new skills and knowledge within the framework of their endanger native languages and nuanced traditions that
adopted nations and simultaneously preserve their represent the distinguishing hallmarks of all cultures. The
cultural heritages. Language programs are particularly far-reaching consequences of dispossession for individuals
pivotal to the encouragement of inclusion and interaction. and their societies can be grasped only by fathoming the
Studies suggest that language-based limitations represent profound impact exerted by forced migrations on cultural
substantial obstacles to obtaining services and engaging identification. Indubitably, forced migrations cause cultural
completely with society. Language instruction for both turmoil because displaced groups generally find themselves
in places that are unreceptive to their traditions. Practices
adults and children enhances comfort levels in unfamiliar and ceremonies that were once pivotal to the retention
circumstances and mitigates their sense of isolation
(Nieuwboer & Rood, 2016; Horgan et al., 2021). of their cultural unity could then become unachievable,
triggering feelings of emptiness and isolation from their
The psychological consequences of forced migrations former ways of life. The void becomes more intense when
necessitate holistic approaches to mental healthcare. communication is hindered by unfamiliar tongues because
Research indicates that culturally sensitive strategies languages symbolize the transmission of ancestral legacies.
should feature in therapies, integrating local support However, the potential for new connections arises through
networks and traditional healing practices (Cratsley et al., such suffering because diverse peoples can recognize that
2021). Similarly, peer counseling programs have shown shared hopes underlie their outward differences. The

Volume 11 Issue 2 (2025) 9 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.4468