American Journal of Public Health
Volume 106, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 128-135

Health profiles of newly arrived refugee children in the United States, 2006-2012 (Article)

Yun K.* , Matheson J. , Payton C. , Scott K.C. , Stone B.L. , Song L. , Stauffer W.M. , Urban K. , Young J. , Mamo B.
  • a PolicyLab, Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
  • b Refugee Health Program, Washington State Department of Health, Shoreline, United States
  • c Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
  • d Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
  • e Refugee Health Program, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, United States
  • f Healthcare Analytics Unit, Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Policylab, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States
  • g Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States
  • h Refugee Health Program, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, United States
  • i General Pediatrics, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, CO, United States
  • j Refugee Health Program, Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, United States

Abstract

Objectives. We conducted a large-scale study of newly arrived refugee children in the United States with data from 2006 to 2012 domestic medical examinations in 4 sites: Colorado; Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington State. Methods. Blood lead level, anemia, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, tuberculosis infection or disease, and Strongyloides seropositivity data were available for 8148 refugee children (aged < 19 years) from Bhutan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Somalia. Results.We identified distinct health profiles for each country of origin, as well as for Burmese childrenwho arrived in the United States from Thailand compared with Burmese children who arrived from Malaysia. Hepatitis B was more prevalent among male children than female children and among children aged 5 years and older. The odds of HBV, tuberculosis, and Strongyloides decreased over the study period. Conclusions. Medical screening remains an important part of health care for newly arrived refugee children in the United States, and disease risk varies by population.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Africa south of the Sahara refugee public health service mass screening human Refugees Asia statistics and numerical data health status ethnology procedures United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) Humans Adolescent Infant, Newborn male preschool child female Infant Child, Preschool newborn standards Retrospective Studies Guidelines as Topic retrospective study practice guideline Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84952062830&doi=10.2105%2fAJPH.2015.302873&partnerID=40&md5=161c9410d507982eb61378ca03ccbb7d
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302873
ISSN: 00900036
Cited by: 22
Original Language: English