Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz
Volume 59, Issue 5, 2016, Pages 599-620

Systematic review and evidence mapping of empirical studies on health status and medical care among refugees and asylum seekers in Germany (1990–2014) [Systematische Übersicht und „Mapping“ empirischer Studien des Gesundheitszustands und der medizinischen Versorgung von Flüchtlingen und Asylsuchenden in Deutschland (1990–2014)] (Review) (Open Access)

Bozorgmehr K.* , Mohsenpour A. , Saure D. , Stock C. , Loerbroks A. , Joos S. , Schneider C.
  • a Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
  • b Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
  • c Institut für Medizinische Biometrie und Informatik (IMBI), Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
  • d Institut für Medizinische Biometrie und Informatik (IMBI), Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
  • e Institut für Arbeitsmedizin und Sozialmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
  • f Institut für Allgemeinmedizin und Interprofessionelle Versorgung, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
  • g Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany

Abstract

Background: Owing to a lack of routine statistics on the health status and medical care of asylum seekers, empirical studies play a major role in the mapping of these aspects. Objectives: The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in this area, synthesizing knowledge from empirical studies and identifying evidence gaps. Methods: A three-tiered search strategy included searching for empirical studies in national/international databases and on the internet, screening reference lists, and contacting experts. Studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria were thematically organized and described in a narrative synthesis. Results: The searches generated 1,190 hits; 52 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 41 were quantitative studies (78.9 %), 10 qualitative (19.2 %), and 1 was a review (1.9 %). A total of 30 primary articles (58.9 %) analyzed mental health aspects, followed by infectious diseases (n = 12, 23.5 %). Qualitative studies, mainly ethnographies and case studies, explored mental health and social determinants of health, providing evidence for the impact of living conditions on health and medical care. Few studies analyzed chronic diseases (n = 3) or childhood illnesses (n = 6). No studies analyzed the health needs or medical care of asylum-seeking women during pregnancy and child birth. In 62.7 % of the primary studies, a single sampling point was used to recruit asylum seekers. Nationwide external validity was given in two quantitative studies. Conclusion: The priority research areas identified are chronic diseases and childhood and maternal health. The divergency and heterogeneity of the studies hamper a comprehensive and comparable acquisition of knowledgeand emphasize the need for collaborative research to close the existing evidence gaps. © 2016, The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Health status Asylum seekers Evidence map Systematic review Medical care

Index Keywords

refugee health disparity Health Status Disparities human Refugees middle aged statistics and numerical data health status Aged chronic disease meta analysis Young Adult Humans Adolescent health services research Infant, Newborn male preschool child Aged, 80 and over Infant very elderly Evidence-Based Medicine Child, Preschool newborn female pregnancy prevalence adult Utilization Review evidence based medicine Health Services Accessibility health care delivery Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84964394182&doi=10.1007%2fs00103-016-2336-5&partnerID=40&md5=17202a2a2d26bdcc731ce151a0bd4f06
DOI: 10.1007/s00103-016-2336-5
ISSN: 14369990
Cited by: 38
Original Language: German