International Health
Volume 10, Issue 6, 2018, Pages 421-429

Demographic and clinical characteristics of refugees seeking primary healthcare services in Greece in the period 2015-2016: A descriptive study (Article)

Kakalou E.* , Riza E. , Chalikias M. , Voudouri N. , Vetsika A. , Tsiamis C. , Choursoglou S. , Terzidis A. , Karamagioli E. , Antypas T. , Pikoulis E.
  • a Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • b Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece, Department of Hygiene Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • c Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece, Piraeus University of Applied Science, Thebon and Petrou Ralli 250, Aigaleo, 12241, Greece
  • d PRAKSIS, Stournari 57, Athens, 10432, Greece
  • e Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • f Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • g PRAKSIS, Stournari 57, Athens, 10432, Greece
  • h Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • i Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • j PRAKSIS, Stournari 57, Athens, 10432, Greece
  • k Programme of Postgraduate Education, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens, 11527, Greece

Abstract

Background: In 2015-2016, more than a million refugees entered Greece. Along with other organizations, PRAKSIS, a local non-governmental organization, deployed mobile medical units on three islands and in temporary settlements in Athens. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study aimed at analysing the demographic and clinical characteristics of the population (n=6688) that received services from PRAKSIS between October 2015 and June 2016 in different locations (islands of Samos, Kos and Leros in the southeastern Aegean Sea and on the mainland at Athens-Piraeus Port Gate E) before and after the closure of European borders in March 2016. Results: The majority (88%) of the population came from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Among them, 53% were women and children. Infectious diseases decreased as the population moved from the islands to the Athens-Piraeus Port, while all other disease categories increased in relative frequency, the difference being statistically significant (p<0.05). Among all consultations, dental and oral cavity health complaints also increased in the Athens-Piraeus Port, but failed to reach statistical significance (p=0.11). Referrals from the mobile health units to specialist care rose from 4.2% of all patients clinically examined on the islands to 9.9% in the Athens-Piraeus Port, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: More research and systematic data collection are needed to inform appropriate policies for the humanitarian challenges posed by the recent refugee and migrant waves in Europe. © The Author(s) 2018.

Author Keywords

Migrants Greece operational research disease Referrals Refugees healthcare

Index Keywords

descriptive research Afghanistan dental health louse refugee Mobile Health Units health care policy demography Syrian Arab Republic mental health human epidemiology Communicable Diseases middle aged Refugees Middle East statistics and numerical data skin disease health service injury Iraq priority journal Aged substance abuse ethnology dental procedure musculoskeletal disease Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult Dental Care Humans cross-sectional study anemia Adolescent Infant, Newborn male female Aged, 80 and over patient referral preventive health service very elderly Infant socioeconomics Greece supply and distribution Child, Preschool population research newborn Referral and Consultation prevalence Article scabies health care utilization help seeking behavior major clinical study adult communicable disease preschool child Socioeconomic Factors medical specialist Reproductive Health patient attitude malnutrition infection Patient Acceptance of Health Care Health Services Accessibility primary health care health care delivery Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85051945805&doi=10.1093%2finthealth%2fihy042&partnerID=40&md5=6b3cb33f0443a3072afae5ff161ff4d8
DOI: 10.1093/inthealth/ihy042
ISSN: 18763413
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English