International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 22, 2019

Pediatric healthcare utilization in a large cohort of refugee children entering western europe during the migrant crisis (Article) (Open Access)

Happle C. , Dopfer C. , Ernst D. , Kleinert E. , Vakilzadeh A. , Hellms S. , Evlampidou I. , Hillermann N. , Schmidt R.E. , Behrens G.M.N. , Müller F. , Wetzke M. , Jablonka A.*
  • a Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • b Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • c Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • d Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
  • e Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • f Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • g MediPIET, 5 Madrid, Spain
  • h Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
  • i Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • j Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • k Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
  • l Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • m Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, 30625, Germany

Abstract

Background: Currently, half of the population displaced worldwide is children and adolescents. Little is known on healthcare demand in underage migrants. Materials and Methods: We analyzed healthcare utilization in n = 1.411 children and adolescents living in a large German refugee reception in 2015-2016. Results: The mean age of all included refugees was 9 years (60.8% male). The majority came from the eastern Mediterranean region. During a mean camp inhabitance of 34 days, 57.6% needed primary healthcare, with a significant inverse correlation of healthcare seeking frequency with age and duration of camp inhabitance. Infants and unaccompanied minors displayed particular high demands for medical help. Discussion: Our analysis showed that pediatric primary healthcare in pediatric and adolescent refugees are most sought during the first period upon arrival with particular demand in infants, toddlers, and unaccompanied minors. Based on this data, future care taking strategies should be adapted accordingly. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Primary care Migration Children migrant healthcare health care Pediatrics Adolescents Refugee

Index Keywords

Germany refugee Mediterranean environment toddler human pediatrics Western Europe school child Adolescent male future prospect female Infant young population child health Article health care health care utilization Southern Europe major clinical study cohort analysis primary health care Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85074944634&doi=10.3390%2fijerph16224415&partnerID=40&md5=70ce3583a793862b8aa4b7c3c783ed22
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16224415
ISSN: 16617827
Original Language: English