Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 19, Issue 6, 2017, Pages 1379-1385

Drugs Delivery by Charities: A Possible Epidemiologic Indicator in Children of Undocumented Migrants (Article)

Bini S. , Clavenna A. , Rigamonti A. , Sartorio A. , Marazzi N. , Fiorini G. , Cella S.*
  • a Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, 20129, Italy
  • b IRCCS–Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy
  • c Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, 20129, Italy
  • d Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-endocrinological Research, IRCCS–Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan and Verbania, Italy
  • e Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-endocrinological Research, IRCCS–Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan and Verbania, Italy
  • f Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, 20129, Italy, Istituti Clinici Zucchi, Carate, Italy
  • g Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, 20129, Italy

Abstract

Describing the health status of a population is difficult, especially in the case of irregular migrants who are now a growing population in western Countries. Data for children of these families are almost inexistent. In the absence of databases on this peculiar pediatric population, we analyzed drugs dispensation by a major Charity to have an insight into their health needs. This observational retrospective study was carried out during the entire 2015 and enrolled 628 undocumented children. A cohort of 8438 adult patients belonging to the same ethnic groups was used for comparison. Respiratory drugs were those most commonly prescribed, followed by those for skin and ocular diseases and by those for gastrointestinal disorders. Also in adults respiratory medications were the most dispensed, but almost in equal measure than cardiovascular drugs.To our knowledge this is the first study on the health needs of undocumented children residing in a western Country. The method we used seems to be a useful method for epidemiological analysis. As could be expected, respiratory and skin diseases ranked first, possibly owing to environmental factors. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Drugs prescription Undocumented migrants Children Charity

Index Keywords

Needs Assessment human statistics and numerical data health status Charities prescription drug Prescription Drugs Undocumented Immigrants Humans undocumented immigrant Adolescent male preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool supply and distribution social welfare Retrospective Studies non prescription drug Italy retrospective study Nonprescription Drugs Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84979672184&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-016-0471-6&partnerID=40&md5=2095f09e4963db6c02a89b4650b7ea3c
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0471-6
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English