![]() With a genetic cause ruled out, the most plausible explanation left was an epigenetic effect. If it were a genetic trait then children born before and after the war would be equally likely to show the reduced life expectancy. “However, if you look within families, there are only effects among sons born after but not before the war.” “What could have happened is that a genetic trait which enabled the father to survive the camp, a tendency toward obesity for example, was then bad during normal times,” says Costa. These tags turn genes on or off, offering a way of adapting to changing conditions without inflicting a more permanent shift in our genomes. Tiny chemical tags are added to or removed from our DNA in response to changes in the environment in which we are living. This is the process of epigenetics, where the readability, or expression, of genes is modified without changing the DNA code itself. ![]() Instead, the researchers were investigating a much more obscure type of inheritance: how events in someone’s lifetime can change the way their DNA is expressed, and how that change can be passed on to the next generation. It appeared the PoWs had passed on some element of their trauma to their offspring.īut unlike most inherited conditions, this was not caused by mutations to the genetic code itself. While their sons and grandsons had not suffered the hardships of the PoW camps – and if anything were well provided for through their childhoods – they suffered higher rates of mortality than the wider population. ![]() It also had an effect on the prisoners’ children and grandchildren, which appeared to be passed down the male line of families. But the impact of these hardships did not stop with those who experienced it. They returned to society with impaired health, worse job prospects and shorter life expectancy. Prisoner death rates soared.įor those who survived, the harrowing experiences marked many of them for life. There was such overcrowding in some camps that the prisoners, Union Army soldiers from the north, each had the square footage of a grave. 28, 1100–1113 (2019).In 1864, nearing the end of the US Civil War, conditions in the Confederate prisoner of war camps were at their worst. Ukrainian war refugees and migrants in Poland: implications for public health. Korzeniewski, K., Shkilna, M., Huk, M., Shevchuk, O. Refugee Data Finder (accessed 22 October 2023). In conclusion, further research is vital to fully understand and address intergenerational trauma in refugee populations, ultimately leading to improved well-being and resilience for these communities.īezo, B. Awareness campaigns and regulatory measures are needed alongside research efforts. ![]() Continuous training for clinicians, open communication channels, and interdisciplinary dialogue are crucial. A comprehensive strategy, including culturally sensitive care and family services, is essential. However, interoperability issues in healthcare systems pose a challenge. Addressing intergenerational trauma requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving primary care teams and specialists. Research in this area is limited, and mental health services often struggle to address the broader effects of trauma as a result. The descendants of refugees, who grow up in such environments, face unique psychological and neurodevelopmental challenges. Intergenerational trauma not only affects mental health but also contributes to higher rates of chronic illness.
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