Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 8, Issue 2, 2006, Pages 163-171

Characteristics and utilization of primary care services in a torture rehabilitation center (Article)

Moreno A.* , Piwowarczyk L. , LaMorte W.W. , Grodin M.A.
  • a Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston, MA, United States, Austin Medical Education Programs, Brackenridge Hospital, 601 East 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701, United States, Health Law Department, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
  • b Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston, MA, United States, Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
  • c Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
  • d Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston, MA, United States, Health Law Department, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States, Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective chart review to look into the utilization of healthcare services of refugees. Between December 1998 and June 2001, 146 refugees received care at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights. The mean age was 39 ± 1 years; 57% were males, and 84% were survivors of torture. A significant number of patients were diagnosed with major depression (70%), post-traumatic stress disorder (58%), past hepatitis A infection (77%), and tuberculosis classes 2 and 3 (42%). Patients had on average 2.3 ± 0.1 initial health assessments visits and 3.6 ± 0.3 primary care follow-up visits during a mean follow-up period of 12.8 ± 0.8 months. Subjects with two or fewer initial health assessment visits were less likely to be undergoing psychological counseling (OR: 0.22; 95%CI:0.08-0.58), less likely to be seeking asylum (OR: 0.16; 95%CI: 0.06-0.43), and more likely to be self-referred (OR: 9.6; 95%CI:2.4-39.6). Four or fewer primary care follow-up visits were more likely in subjects who had no health insurance (OR: 7.2; 95%CI:2.0-25.5) and less likely in those referred for psychological counseling (OR: 0.017; 95%CI:0.05-0.54). Patients had a higher prevalence of mental health conditions than that reported in other studies and often declined diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. © Springer Science + Busiiness Media, Inc. 2006.

Author Keywords

Primary care Post-traumatic stress disorder Depression Refugees Utilizationof health services

Index Keywords

primary medical care refugee psychological aspect sex ratio follow up human clinical assessment Refugees hepatitis A controlled study priority journal Medical Audit torture survivor Rehabilitation Centers rehabilitation center human rights mental disease Humans male female patient referral tuberculosis health services prevalence Article Retrospective Studies health care utilization major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder age distribution quantitative analysis parent counseling retrospective study major depression primary health care Torture Boston
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33646179576&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-006-8524-x&partnerID=40&md5=c4659087146273bf2cb3a25c9a9b26c1
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-006-8524-x
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English