Medical Journal of Australia
Volume 185, Issue 11-12, 2006, Pages 602-606

Health issues in newly arrived Afican refugees attending general practice clinics in Melbourne (Article)

Tiong A.C.D. , Patel M.S. , Gardiner J. , Ryan R. , Linton K.S. , Walker K.A. , Scopel J. , Biggs B.-A.*
  • a National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  • b National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  • c Darebin Community Health Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • d Darebin Community Health Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • e Western Region Health Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • f Western Region Health Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • g The Clinic Footscray, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • h Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Department of Medicine and the Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Abstract

Objective: To identify the most common health issues diagnosed by general practitioners in newly arrived African refugees. Design: Descriptive study based on a purposive sample of six GPs to collate data from medical records of patients from African countries who had attended their clinics for the first time between 1 January and 30 June 2005. Setting: Two community health centres and two private general practices in metropolitan Melbourne. Participants: African refugee patients who arrived in Australia after 1 June 2004 and were seen by the six participating GPs between 1 January and 30 June 2005. Main outcome measures: Demographic characteristics, laboratory test results and final diagnoses. Results: Data were collected from 258 patient files. Most patients were from Sudan (57%) or Liberia (17%). Half were aged under 15 years. The most common health problems identified were inadequate vaccinations, nutritional deficiencies (vitamin D and iron), infectious diseases (gastrointestinal infections, schistosomiasis, and latent tuberculosis) and dental disease. Musculoskeletal, psychological and social problems were common in adults. 37% of patients were tested for latent tuberculosis, and 25% of these tested positive. Conclusions: African refugees require comprehensive health assessments for undiagnosed and untreated health problems. While most of the common diseases identified are non-communicable, if left untreated they will affect the long-term health and productivity of new settlers.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

tooth disease Strongyloidiasis ferritin blood level Negro refugee Australia mass screening demography health survey retinol deficiency vitamin blood level upper respiratory tract infection human Refugees middle aged feces analysis Vitamin D Malaria health status otitis media Victoria private practice musculoskeletal disease chromatography mental disease Community Health Centers Humans anemia Anemia, Iron-Deficiency Adolescent gastrointestinal infection male blood cell count iron deficiency female retinol tuberculosis optical density Infant Child, Preschool Africa pregnancy Syphilis vitamin D deficiency Article Retrospective Studies major clinical study tuberculin test adult schistosomiasis ferritin vaccination skin infection hepatitis B sociopathy immunoassay Gastrointestinal Diseases Family Practice hepatitis C Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33846093185&partnerID=40&md5=b6263773ecd7c009d85ccdb7dbb9f099
ISSN: 0025729X
Cited by: 104
Original Language: English