The population of refugee children can present specific health problems of interest to physicians and public health services. Methodology: we have analysed the data of all refugee children in Geneva consulting for the first time in the year 1999 and we have compared them with resident population of children in Geneva. Main results: refugee children attended emergency services three times more often than the control children. The rate of hospitalisation was two times higher. The rate of vaccination was much lower and they had much higher rate of primary tuberculosis infection, microcytic anaemia, intestinal parasities, dental caries and dermatological problems, notably scabies. Conclusion: a systematic screening for tuberculosis and intestinal parasites is absolutely necessary; African children should be screened for anaemia; the psychosocial factors are important in the refugee children's population and should not be neglected.

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social psychology refugee public health service mass screening microcytic anemia skin disease human controlled study primary tuberculosis Adolescent Infant dental caries child health Article scabies major clinical study emergency health service child hospitalization data analysis vaccination intestine parasite population migration Switzerland Child