European Journal of Public Health
Volume 25, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 506-512

Tuberculosis among migrant populations in the European Union and the European Economic Area (Article) (Open Access)

Odone A.* , Tillmann T. , Sandgren A. , Williams G. , Rechel B. , Ingleby D. , Noori T. , Mladovsky P. , McKee M.
  • a Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, United States, Unit of Public Health, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
  • b European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • c European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
  • d LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
  • e European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • f Centre for Social Science and Global Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • g European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
  • h LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
  • i European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: Although tuberculosis (TB) incidence has been decreasing in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in the last decades, specific subgroups of the population, such as migrants, remain at high risk of TB. This study is based on the report 'Key Infectious Diseases in Migrant Populations in the EU/EEA' commissioned by The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Methods: We collected, critically appraised and summarized the available evidence on the TB burden in migrants in the EU/EEA. Data were collected through: (i) a comprehensive literature review; (ii) analysis of data from The European Surveillance System (TESSy) and (iii) evidence provided by TB experts during an infectious disease workshop in 2012. Results: In 2010, of the 73 996 TB cases notified in the EU/EEA, 25% were of foreign origin. The overall decrease of TB cases observed in recent years has not been reflected in migrant populations. Foreign-born people with TB exhibit different socioeconomic and clinical characteristics than native sufferers. Conclusion: This is one of the first studies to use multiple data sources, including the largest available European database on infectious disease notifications, to assess the burden and provide a comprehensive description and analysis of specific TB features in migrants in the EU/EEA. Strengthened information about health determinants and factors for migrants' vulnerability is needed to plan, implement and evaluate targeted TB care and control interventions for migrants in the EU/EEA. © 2014 The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

health survey Europe Population Surveillance human middle aged statistics and numerical data Aged Young Adult Humans migrant Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors tuberculosis socioeconomics European Union Incidence adult Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84939535289&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fcku208&partnerID=40&md5=a662768624cc580c6baadac133bce5a5
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku208
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 34
Original Language: English