Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “REFUGEES”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

High level of immunity against poliomyelitis in Albanian refugees in southern Italy.

BACKGROUND: The Apulia region (Southern Italy) may be considered a "border region" which, due to its position, has to face daily arrivals of refugees, especially from Albania. When the exodus of Albanians took place in 1991, a seroepidemiologic study revealed a low seroimmunity to poliomyelitis. In 1996, a large outbreak of paralytic poliomyelitis occurred in Albania. The aim of the study was to evaluate the poliomyelitis immunization level in a sample of Albanian refugees who arrived in the Apulia region between April and May 1997. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained, after informed consent and on a voluntary basis, from 667 subjects housed in seven refugee camps in the Apulia region. Titration of neutralizing antibodies to the three polioviruses was carried out. RESULTS: The findings showed that Albanian refugees had adequate levels of immunity to all polioviruses (95% for poliovirus type 1, 98.6% for poliovirus type 2 and 91.4% for poliovirus type 3). Moreover, a high immunization rate was found in all age groups irrespective of the areas of origin of the refugees and their socioeconomic conditions. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that Albanian refugees in Apulia region have adequate levels of immunity against polioviruses and confirm the effectiveness of mass vaccination campaigns with OPV conducted by WHO in Albania following an outbreak of poliomyelitis in 1996.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Living conditions and health. A population-based study of labour migrants and Latin American refugees in Sweden and those who were repatriated.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are differences in living conditions and self-rated health between South European labour migrants and Latin American refugees and those who were repatriated to Latin America. DESIGN: Analysis of data from a survey (face-to-face interviews) in 1991 of 338 Latin American refugees and 60 repatriated refugees. A random sample of 161 South European and 396 Finnish labour migrants from the Swedish Annual Level-of-Living Surveys 1980-1981 and 1988-89 was analysed. A random sample of 1,159 age-, sex- and education-matched Swedes served as controls. SETTING: Lund, a medium-sized town in southern Sweden, Santiago and Montevideo, capitals of Chile and Uruguay, respectively, and Sweden. RESULTS: Labour migrants and refugees in particular lived in rented flats while Swedes lived in privately-owned one-family homes. All immigrants and in particular repatriated Latin Americans had low material standard and meagre economic resources compared with Swedes. Being a Latin American refugee, a South European or Finnish labour migrant were independent risk indicators of self-rated poor health in logistic regression (multivariate analyses). Not feeling secure in everyday life and poor leisure opportunities were independent risk factors for poor health with an estimated odds ratio of 3.13(2.09-4.45) and 1.57(1.22-2.00), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a clear ethnic segregation in housing and other living conditions between Swedes and immigrants, where Latin American refugees and repatriated Latin Americans were most vulnerable. All immigrants had increased self-rated poor health compared with Swedes. Being an immigrant was a risk factor for poor health of equal importance to more traditional risk factors such as lifestyle factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Imported malaria in Montagnard refugees settling in North Carolina: implications for prevention and control.

In the winter of 1992, some 402 Southeast Asian refugees were resettled in North Carolina. They received very limited medical screening before immigration and many arrived in the United States with significant health problems, including several tropical infectious diseases. These refugees had lived for many years in remote areas along the Vietnam-Cambodia border, where there is intense transmission of malaria, including Plasmodium falciparum resistant to most antimalarial drugs available in the United States. Of 322 refugees screened after arrival in North Carolina, 187 (58%) were infected: 33% with P. falciparum, 23.5% with P. vivax, 23.5% with P. malariae, and 2.1% with P. ovale. Most infected persons were asymptomatic and infections with multiple species were common. Because of the documented high infection prevalence and the probable presence of many subpatent infections, all nonpregnant refugees were treated with halofantrine; those with P. vivax or P. ovale infections were given primaquine as well. This group accounted for the largest cluster of malaria cases reported in the United States in the last 50 years. Their rapid relocation, with minimal medical screening prior to arrival, resulted in a significant burden to the refugees and to the health-care system. Coordination between immigration agencies, the public health community, and medical workers in communities where the refugees are settled is critical for U.S.-based management of imported tropical diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Malaria, intestinal parasites, and schistosomiasis among Barawan Somali refugees resettling to the United States: a strategy to reduce morbidity and decrease the risk of imported infections.

In 1997, enhanced health assessments were performed for 390 (10%) of approximately 4,000 Barawan refugees resettling to the United States. Of the refugees who received enhanced assessments, 26 (7%) had malaria parasitemia and 128 (38%) had intestinal parasites, while only 2 (2%) had Schistosoma haematobium eggs in the urine. Mass therapy for malaria (a single oral dose of 25 mg/kg of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) was given to all Barawan refugees 1-2 days before resettlement. Refugees >2 years of age and nonpregnant women received a single oral dose of 600 mg albendazole for intestinal parasite therapy. If mass therapy had not been provided, upon arrival in the United States an estimated 280 (7%) refugees would have had malaria infections and 1,500 (38%) would have had intestinal parasites. We conclude that enhanced health assessments provided rapid on-site assessment of parasite prevalence and helped decrease morbidity among Barawan refugees, as well as, the risk of imported infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Eye diseases and blindness in Adjumani refugee settlement camps, Uganda.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and causes of the blindness and ocular morbidity amongst Sudanese refugees; to prioritise and provide eye care services to the refugees and; to device administrative strategies and logistics of prevention and control of blinding diseases among the refugees. DESIGN: A mobile outreach clinic study for six weeks. SETTING: Adjumani settlement camps for Sudanese refugees in Uganda. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred patients in eighteen settlement camps. INTERVENTIONS: Medical treatment and surgical correction offered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cataract, trachoma and xerophthalmia are the major causes of blindness. RESULTS: One hundred and forty six patients (21%) were bilaterally blind, and 77 patients (11%) were unilaterally blind. The three leading causes of blindness are cataract (42%), xerophthalmia (28%) and trachoma (21%). Glaucoma and other non-specified causes were responsible for the remaining blindness (9%). The crude prevalence of blindness among the 700 patients was 20. This is an extremely high prevalence, nearly ten times higher than for Ugandans living in Uganda. CONCLUSION: In refugee settlement camps setting, residents may have a much higher prevalence of eye diseases and blindness than non-refugees.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Southeast Asian refugee women and depression: a nursing intervention.

Globally, conflicts continue to result in large numbers of refugees and displaced persons, the majority are women. At present, there is scant literature on the mental health status of refugee women following resettlement in countries that grant asylum. We do know that adaptation following migration is a complex cultural, psychological and social process. Some studies have suggested a high prevalence of depression symptoms related to premigration and post-migration experiences. The purpose of this paper will be to describe the mental health status of Southeast Asian (S.E.A.) refugee women in the United States, before home visit interventions by school nurses and bilingual teachers, and at 10, 20 and 33 weeks following the intervention. A comparison group of S.E.A. refugee women, who did not receive the intervention, were evaluated for mental health status on two occasions ten weeks apart. The identified needs and problems identified by the women, the interventions implemented by the school nurses and the success of the interventions will also be discussed. The underlying problem for the majority of women was poverty and social isolation. The study demonstrates that indeed, refugee women in the U.S., are experiencing needs and problems related to basic survival issues in multiple areas of their lives. The findings suggest that home visit interventions by nurses may be a valuable means of reducing depression in S.E.A. refugee women.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Nutritional assessment of adolescent refugees--Nepal, 1999.

During 1990-1993, 83,000 ethnic Nepalese fled from Bhutan to refugee camps in southeast Nepal after new citizenship policies were enacted by the Bhutanese government. Although annual nutrition surveys of children aged <5 years had been conducted by international agencies, no anthropometric assessment of adolescents had been performed since the refugees arrived in 1990. After withdrawal of a fortified cereal from their rations, the number of reported cases of angular stomatitis (AS) (i.e., thinning and/or fissuring at the angles of the mouth, a sign of possible vitamin deficiency) increased six-fold during December 1998-March 1999 (from 5.5 to 35.6 cases per 1000 refugees) (Santa Tamang, MD, Save the Children Fund, United Kingdom, personal communication, 1999). The highest rates of AS were found among children and adolescents. In October 1999, CDC was invited by the World Food Programme and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assess the health status of adolescent refugees. This report summarizes the investigation, which indicated a high prevalence of low body mass index (BMI), anemia, low vitamin A status, and signs of micronutrient deficiencies among adolescent refugees.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Refugee crisis in Macedonia during the Kosovo conflict in 1999.

The Kosovo refugee crisis in the Macedonia in 1999 was unique in terms of its unprecedented magnitude against its short duration (sharp increase and sudden decrease in refugee population), its high visibility in the world media, and attention received by donors. In the late March 1999, after the launch of the NATO air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, refugees from Kosovo began to enter Macedonia. Within 9 weeks, the country received 344,500 refugees. Aiming to provide an emergency humanitarian relief, United Nations, and international and national organizations together with the host country, donors, and other concerned parties coordinated and provided immediate assistance to meet the needs of refugees, including shelter in collective centers (camps) and accommodation in host families, nutrition, health care, and water/sanitation. The morbidity and mortality rates remained low due to the effective action undertaken by a great number of humanitarian organizations, backed up by strong governmental support. No significant epidemics developed in the camps, and there were no epidemic outbreaks during the crisis. Mortality rate of refugees was lower than in other emergency situations.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed2002

Management of refugee crisis in Albania during the 1999 Kosovo conflict.

The report presents key data on Kosovo refugees in Albania during the 1999 crisis in Kosovo. In a three-month period, from March through May 1999, Albania received, accommodated, and cared for 479,223 officially registered refugees from Kosovo (FR Yugoslavia). Many foreign governmental and non-governmental organizations helped the Albanian government during the crisis. The Government cooperated with the organizations through Government Commission, which appointed a Special Coordinator to the Emergency Management Group that coordinated factors and actions in the field. A Health Desk was established by the Emergency Management Group to provide an overview of the health impact of the crisis upon refugees and domestic Albanian population. There were no serious outbreaks of infectious diseases, but the Health Desk registered 2,165 cases of diarrhea without and 14 cases of diarrhea with blood in the stool. Scabies and lice affected around 4% of the refugees. After the refugees returned to Kosovo, Emergency Management Group continued to coordinate the work on the rehabilitation of the refugee-affected areas. In this phase, humanitarian emergency work served as a bridge between emergency activities and normal development.

Albania↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A warm welcome for refugees.

The Catholic Collaborative Refugee Network (CCRN) was established more than four years ago as a result of discussions among CHA, Catholic Charities USA, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' office of Migration and Refugee Services. The dozen CCRN sites each provide an organized response to the social, economic, and health problems often faced by refugees. Although the sites differ in their services, they typically help refugees prepare for and find work, preferably work with health insurance coverage. Serving both immediate and long-term needs of refugees by consolidating services and forging partnerships with local groups, the CCRN helps refugees to become self-supporting. This article introduces the work of CCRN by highlighting recent success stories from Baton Rouge, LA, and from Joliet, IL. The CCRN site coordinator for Amityville, NY, provides guidance in identifying victims of trafficking.

Catholicism↗
PubMed2005

Psychosomatic and depressive symptoms in civilians, refugees, and soldiers: 1993-2004 longitudinal study in Croatia.

AIM: To evaluate psychosomatic complaints and depressive symptoms among civilians, refugees, and soldiers in the war and post-war period in Croatia. METHOD: The design of the study was longitudinal, including four repeated assessments during the war and post-war period (1993, 1995, 2000, and 2004). The baseline assessment included 480 male participants who were asked to fill out the questionnaires about demographic data, psychosomatic complaints, and depressive symptoms. The final sample included 128 civilians, 88 refugees, and 70 soldiers, who were interviewed at all assessment time points. RESULTS: Levels of psychosomatic and depressive symptoms changed with time. Refugees showed the highest level of depressive symptoms in general (F=4.17, P=0.016). Psychosomatic complaints were dominant in soldiers and refugees at all assessment time points (F=210.30, P<0.001). Soldiers showed a significant increase in psychosomatic complaints with time, whereas refugees showed a decrease. Contrary to these findings, civilians showed relatively low level of psychosomatic complaints and did not show any significant changes with time. CONCLUSION: It seems that for refugees and soldiers, prolonged stressful situation has long-term health implications primary related to the psychosomatic complaints.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Hmong refugees resettling from Thailand into the United States, 2004-2005.

In December 2003, the U.S. Department of State initiated a resettlement program for 15,707 Hmong refugees who had been displaced from Laos and were living on the grounds of Wat Tham Krabok, a Buddhist temple in Thailand. In January 2005, reports of tuberculosis (TB) cases among refugees still in Thailand and refugees who had arrived in the United States, including some cases caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, prompted a 1-month travel suspension. After enhanced screening in Thailand and intensified TB-control measures in the United States, resettlement resumed on February 16. A majority of the Hmong refugees in Thailand and the United States with TB diagnosed were started on treatment and monitored. As of July 15, no additional TB cases had been diagnosed among newly resettled Hmong refugees. U.S. health departments should continue to ensure careful monitoring for TB among this refugee group.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychiatric morbidity among Afghan refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: A review of the literature shows that refugees in different parts of the world have high rates of psychological and emotional problems. However, psychiatric morbidity among Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been poorly studied. Most of the studies of psychiatric disorders come from western countries. However, these studies may not be representative of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. This study was carried out to measure psychiatric morbidity among a group of Afghan refugees attending a psychiatric clinic in Peshawar, Pakistan. METHODS: This is a cross sectional study, to measure prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among the residents of Afghan refugee camps in Peshawar, Pakistan, who attended a psychiatric clinic between November 2003 and February 2004. Data were collected using Mini International neuropsychiatry Interview Schedule (MINI), and a form specifically developed for the study. RESULTS: Nearly 80% of our patients had a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nearly half (47.9%) reported family history of mental illness, while almost a quarter (23.3%) had a physical disability or long term illness. Only 13.7% (106) had contacted health services prior to seeking help for their psychiatric illness. CONCLUSIONS: A high number of patients presenting with PTSD is not an unusual finding when one considers the traumatic experiences faced by the general population of Afghanistan. Only a small number of the patients had been in contact with the health services prior to their contact with the psychiatric service. This study highlights the importance of health education among Afghan refugees and to establish the mental health services for them.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Population-based risk factors for tuberculosis and adverse outcomes among Tibetan refugees in India, 1994-1996.

SETTING: Tibetan refugees in India, 1994-1996. OBJECTIVE: To determine tuberculosis (TB) incidence, independent risk factors for TB, and predictors of adverse outcomes. DESIGN: Data from a house-to-house census/demographic survey were merged with TB patient data. Separate multivariable models for each birthplace were developed for outcomes of interest. RESULTS: From 1994 to 1996, 47,491 Tibetans were surveyed and 1197 TB cases confirmed (incidence 835/ 100,000). Risk factors for TB in separate multivariable models differed by place of birth. Independent predictors of death for Tibet-born refugees included age >50 years, extra-pulmonary TB, and second-line therapy, while for India-born refugees they included second-line therapy and no improvement at the end of treatment. No significant risk factors for default were identified for Tibet-born refugees, while region of residence and the absence of a BCG scar were independent predictors among those born in India. Predictors of receipt of second-line therapy among Tibet-born refugees included region, years in camps, and prior TB, while among those born in India they were region, age > or =20 years, sputum-positive at diagnosis, and previous TB. CONCLUSIONS: TB incidence in Tibetan refugee settlements exceeds the highest national TB rates, and country of birth determines risk factors. TB control efforts in India should include this population.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Morbidity of native, immigrant, and returned refugee populations in family medicine practice in Croatia after 1991-1995 war.

AIM: To examine the differences in the morbidity among 325 native inhabitants, 231 immigrants, and 145 returned refugees in Komarevo, Croatia. METHODS: The data on patients older than 45 years and their chronic diseases classified according to the 10th revision of International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems were collected from the medical files in a family practice in Komarevo. The patients were grouped according to their status (natives, immigrants, and returned refugees) and age (45-64 and > or =65 years). The differences in diagnoses between the groups of the same age were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi2 test. RESULTS: In the 45-64 age group, hypertension was diagnosed in 67 out of 183 (36.6%) natives, 22 out of 108 (20.4%) immigrants, and 12 out of 50 (24%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=9.48; P=0.008). In the same age group, ischemic heart disease was found in 21 out of 183 (11.4%) natives, 3 out of 108 (2.8%) immigrants, and 3 out of 50 (6.4%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=7.34, P=0.025). In those aged > or =65, intervertebral disc disorders, dorsalgia, and dorsopathy were found in 61 out of 169 (36.1%) natives, 26 out of 123 (21.1%) immigrants, and 15 out of 90 (15.8%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=15.44, P<0.001). Ischemic heart disease was found in 20 out of 169 (11.8%) natives, 4 out of 123 (3.3%) immigrants, and 16 out of 90 (16.8%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=11.40, P=0.003). Five (56%) and six (67%) out of nine groups of diagnoses had the lowest prevalence in immigrants aged 45-64 and > or =65, respectively. CONCLUSION: Native inhabitants had the highest prevalence of observed chronic diseases, whereas the immigrant adult population had the lowest. Such differences should be kept in mind in the approach to war-affected populations.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bridging refugee youth and children's services: a case study of cross-service training.

Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services(BRYCS), a public-private partnership between the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, provides national technical assistance to public child welfare. After a series of "community conversations," BRYCS identified a lack of knowledge among child welfare staff about newcomer refugees, negative stereotypes, and a fear of child protective services among refugees. BRYCS initiated a number of technical assistance initiatives, including a pilot cross-service training project in St. Louis to strengthen collaboration between child welfare and refugee-serving agencies. This article details the lessons learned from this training and recommends changes in policy and practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

[Mental and physical health problems of, and the use of healthcare by, Afghan, Iranian and Somali asylum seekers and refugees].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence rates of mental and physical health problems and the use of healthcare services among adult asylum seekers and recognised refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia in the Netherlands. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHOD: Asylum seekers were approached in 14 reception centres and refugees were interviewed in 3 municipalities (Arnhem, Leiden and Zaanstad). Respondents were interviewed in their own language and asked questions pertaining to: general health, chronic complaints, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of depression/ anxiety, the use of healthcare services (general practitioner, medical specialists, hospitalisation, mental-health services, medication) and background variables. RESULTS: A total of 232 asylum seekers and 178 refugees participated (response rates of89% and 59%, respectively). Of these, 142 (61%) and 99 (56%), respectively were males and the average age was 34.4 (SD: 11.o) and 40.3 (SD: 13.3) years, respectively. Compared to refugees, asylum seekers more often considered their health to be poor (42% and 59%, respectively), had more symptoms of depression/anxiety (39% and 68%, respectively), and had more symptoms of PTSD (11% and 28%, respectively). No differences were found between refugees and asylum seekers in the self-reported use of healthcare services. CONCLUSION: This study showed that asylum seekers have more health problems than refugees, but that there are no differences in the self-reported use of healthcare services. More research is needed to answer the question ifasylum seekers have sufficient access to the healthcare system.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Health and nutritional status of Liberian refugee children--Guinea, 1990.

Since December 1989, civil strife in Liberia has caused mass displacement of persons to neighboring Guinea and Ivory Coast (Figure 1). Liberian refugees initially settled in the Forest Region of Guinea and shared food and shelter with members of the same ethnic groups (mainly Gio and Mano) already residing in the area. The number of refugees overwhelmed the capacity of affected villages to provide basic needs, and camp-like settlements were established that received substantial external relief. In May 1990, to determine appropriate priorities for relief assistance, the health and nutritional status of Liberian refugees in the Forest Region of Guinea was assessed by CDC for the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Refugee Programs. In May, an estimated 80,000 refugees were in the area; by December the number had increased to an estimated 400,000. This report summarizes findings of the health and nutritional assessment of Liberian refugee children.

Africa, Western↗