Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 20, Issue 2, 2018, Pages 339-344
Emotional Distress, Medical Utilization, and Disability Claims in Adult Refugees (Article)
Cronkright P.* ,
Lupone C.D.
-
a
Center for Global Health and Translational Science, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States, Department of Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
-
b
Center for Global Health and Translational Science, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
Abstract
The refugee health screener-15 (RHS-15) is utilized as a diagnostic proxy for common mental disorders in refugees. Studies are needed to determine its clinical and social utility. A retrospective chart analysis of adult refugees compared RHS-15 scores to utilization of medical services and presence of disability claims. Refugees with negative, positive, and highly positive RHS-15 scores attended 3.1, 4.4, and 5.7 mean primary care visits and 1.6, 2.8, and 4.4 mean non-primary care visits, respectively (p <.000). The 11% (43/392) claiming disability were 5.1 times more likely to have a positive RHS-15 (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.1–8.8). A positive RHS-15 was not predictive of a disability claim (19% PPV), and those with a negative RHS-15 were unlikely to claim disability (96% NPV). The RHS-15 score correlates with visit utilization. A positive score is not predictive of a subsequent disability claim. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85021921518&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-017-0621-5&partnerID=40&md5=a7bef71b0821dca0887cbbd24f3e34ce
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-017-0621-5
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English