Canadian Journal of Public Health
Volume 99, Issue 6, 2008, Pages 499-504

Common diseases in asylum seekers in Montreal: Prevalence and associations with risk factors [Pathologies courantes chez les demandeurs d'asile à Montréal: Prévalance et facteurs de risque associés] (Review)

Ouimet M.-J.* , Munoz M. , Narasiah L. , Rambure V. , Correa J.A.
  • a Service de Santé du PRAIDA, Centre de Recherche et Formation, Université McGill, 5700 ch. de la Côte-des Neiges, Montréal, QC H3T 2A8, Canada
  • b Service de Santé du PRAIDA, Centre de Recherche et Formation, Université McGill, 5700 ch. de la Côte-des Neiges, Montréal, QC H3T 2A8, Canada
  • c Service de Santé du PRAIDA, Centre de Recherche et Formation, Université McGill, 5700 ch. de la Côte-des Neiges, Montréal, QC H3T 2A8, Canada
  • d Faculté de Médecine, Université de Nancy, Nancy, France
  • e Département de Mathématiques et Statistiques, Université McGill, Montréal, QC, Canada

Abstract

Background: Canada received 22,873 asylum seekers in 2006. The screening of specific health problems in this population seems warranted. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of pathologies that were screened at the PRAIDA health service in Montreal, and to identify associations with certain risk factors. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the files of patients who were screened between 2000 and 2004. Demographic and clinical information was compiled for computation of prevalence as well as multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 289 files reviewed, 56.7% are for male and 43.3% for female patients, with a mean age of 34 years; 53% are Asians and 38% Africans. 59.4% of subjects received a psychiatric diagnosis (mainly depression and post-traumatic stress disorder). The paraclinical work-up showed: 20.3% anaemia, 9% eosinophilia, 29.7% HBcAb+, 5% HBsAg+, 1.5% hepatitis C (RNA+), 2.5% HIV+ and 45.9% TST+. 10.5% of stool samples contained a pathogen, and serologies for strongyloidiasis and schistosomiasis were positive in 17.3% and 3.9% of samples respectively. Significant associations included female gender with anaemia, African origin with rates of HBcAb and TST+, age with HBcAb and hepatitis C positivity, longer length of stay in Canada with eosinophilia and strongyloidiasis, shorter length of stay with HBcAb, and Asian origin with psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: This study suggests that the prevalence of screened pathologies as part of the PRAIDA health service work-up are high in this population and therefore warrant continuation of their screening until guidelines are constituted.

Author Keywords

Screening immigrants Asylum seekers Refugees Prevalence Refugee claimants

Index Keywords

hematologic disease Negro Asian refugee mass screening psychological aspect Quebec human Communicable Diseases Refugees middle aged statistics Asian continental ancestry group health service health status Logistic Models Urban Health Services Mental Disorders Hematologic Diseases mental disease Humans classification African Continental Ancestry Group male Canada Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor Risk Factors Review prevalence Retrospective Studies communicable disease adult migration Utilization Review statistical model retrospective study
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-58249095522&partnerID=40&md5=148b282118b795aa42daa4beff587e5f
ISSN: 00084263
Cited by: 12
Original Language: French