Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 20, Issue 1, 2018, Pages 171-177

Primary Care Screening Methods and Outcomes for Asylum Seekers in New York City (Article)

Bertelsen N.S.* , Selden E. , Krass P. , Keatley E.S. , Keller A.
  • a Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States, Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States, Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
  • b Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States, Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • c New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
  • d University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada, Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States
  • e Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States, Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States, Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY, United States

Abstract

Effective screening in primary care among asylum-seekers in the US is critical as this population grows. This study aimed to evaluate disease prevalence and screening methods in this high-risk group. Two hundred ten new clients from 51 countries, plus Tibet, who were accepted into a program for asylum seekers from 2012 to 2014 were included. Screening rates and outcomes for infectious, non-communicable, and mental illnesses were evaluated. Screening rates were highest for PTSD, depression, hepatitis B, and latent tuberculosis. Seventy-one percent of clients screened positive for depression and 55 % for PTSD, followed by latent tuberculosis (41 %), hypertension (10 %), hepatitis B (9.4 %), and HIV (0.8 %). Overall screening rates were high. Point of care testing was more effective than testing that required a repeat visit. A large psychiatric and infectious disease burden was identified. These findings can inform future primary care screening efforts for asylum seekers in the US. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Primary health care Immigrant health Mental health screening Health screening Asylum seeker Infectious disease screening Hypertension screening

Index Keywords

refugee mass screening human Refugees Communicable Diseases health status Mental Disorders mental disease Humans psychology New York male latent tuberculosis female cost of illness prevalence communicable disease adult New York City hepatitis B primary health care
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84990841028&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-016-0507-y&partnerID=40&md5=0950c3625a85228924618790960b9aa5
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0507-y
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English