TY - JOUR

T1 - Is there a need of health assessments for resettling refugees? A cross-sectional study of 1431 refugees who arrived in Denmark between 2014 and 2018

AU - Hvass, Anne Mette F.

AU - Norredam, Marie

AU - Sodemann, Morten

AU - Wejse, Christian

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Refugees have increased health risks due to factors related to their country of origin, the migration itself and the receiving country. Based on systematic general health assessments of newly arrived refugees, we aimed to study the characteristics with regard to background, migration and health needs.Methods: All refugees (children/adolescents and adults) arriving in Aarhus, Denmark from 1 January 2014 to 1 November 2018 were offered a general health assessment by a doctor including: medical history, a physical examination and blood samples.Results: A cohort of 1431 (of 1618 invited, (88.4%) participants accepted the health assessment. The most commonly found health conditions in children were vitamin D deficiency (28.3%), elevated serum-IgE (34%) and lack of immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases (measles 20.1%, polio 3.9%). In adults, vitamin D deficiency (34.6%), IgE elevation (30%), latent tuberculosis (20.3%) and symptoms of PTSD (15.9%) were most prevalent. We found participants from Southern Asia (Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) to be overrepresented with regard to vitamin D deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency and symptoms of PTSD. Furthermore, we found that origin in Africa was associated with latent tuberculosis. In total, 63.8% of examined refugees had one or more health problems requiring further testing, treatment or follow-up.Conclusions: A comprehensive health assessment among recently arrived refugees showed multiple health issues to address, and demonstrates the need of systematic health assessments for resettling refugees.

AB - Background: Refugees have increased health risks due to factors related to their country of origin, the migration itself and the receiving country. Based on systematic general health assessments of newly arrived refugees, we aimed to study the characteristics with regard to background, migration and health needs.Methods: All refugees (children/adolescents and adults) arriving in Aarhus, Denmark from 1 January 2014 to 1 November 2018 were offered a general health assessment by a doctor including: medical history, a physical examination and blood samples.Results: A cohort of 1431 (of 1618 invited, (88.4%) participants accepted the health assessment. The most commonly found health conditions in children were vitamin D deficiency (28.3%), elevated serum-IgE (34%) and lack of immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases (measles 20.1%, polio 3.9%). In adults, vitamin D deficiency (34.6%), IgE elevation (30%), latent tuberculosis (20.3%) and symptoms of PTSD (15.9%) were most prevalent. We found participants from Southern Asia (Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) to be overrepresented with regard to vitamin D deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency and symptoms of PTSD. Furthermore, we found that origin in Africa was associated with latent tuberculosis. In total, 63.8% of examined refugees had one or more health problems requiring further testing, treatment or follow-up.Conclusions: A comprehensive health assessment among recently arrived refugees showed multiple health issues to address, and demonstrates the need of systematic health assessments for resettling refugees.

KW - Refugee

KW - Refugee health

KW - Migrant health

KW - Health assessment

KW - Health screening

KW - Screening

KW - HEPATITIS-B-VIRUS

KW - LATENT TUBERCULOSIS

KW - ASYLUM SEEKERS

KW - PREVALENCE

KW - MEASLES

KW - INFECTION

KW - VARICELLA

KW - MIGRANTS

KW - RUBELLA

U2 - 10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100044

DO - 10.1016/j.jmh.2021.100044

M3 - Journal article

VL - 3

JO - Journal of Migration and Health

JF - Journal of Migration and Health

SN - 2666-6235

M1 - 100044

ER -