Since 2017, Toowoomba has become home to more than 2,000 people from the Yazidi (Ezidi) community, predominantly from Northern Iraq. Yazidi are an endogamous religious minority that speak Kurdish Kurmanji, an oral language.
Migrants arriving in Australia who have experienced a refugee journey often need additional support with health concerns and management. This may be due to experiencing persecution, poor access to health care prior to arrival, limited understanding of Australian health systems and how to navigate them, low health literacy, low income, and other social health determinants. Local health services also face the challenge of providing services that are culturally appropriate and meet the needs of the community.
For more information regarding the key insights and findings from these interviews as well as initial priorities in delivering better health outcomes to the Yazidi community, read the following report.