Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica
Volume 80, Issue 8-9, 1991, Pages 859-867

Health and nutrition in newly resettled refugee children from Chile and Middle East (Article)

Hjern A. , Kocturk-Runefors T. , Jeppson O. , Tegelman R. , Hojer B. , Adlercreutz H.
  • a Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
  • b Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
  • c Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
  • d Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
  • e Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
  • f Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden

Abstract

The general health and nutritional status of 105 refugee children from Chile and the Middle East were examined shortly after the arrival in Stockholm. A chronic medical condition was present in 10% and there were clinical signs of caries in 57% of the children. Iron deficiency was found in 15% of Chileans and 6% of Middle Easterners, but no other nutritional deficiencies were discovered. Stunting and wasting was rare and a significant catch-up growth was observed in both groups in a follow-up 18 months after resettlement. Obesity was common in the Chilean group on arrival in Sweden and increased further after resettlement. We conclude that chronic medical conditions, caries and obesity were the major somatic health problems in this sample of newly resettled refugee children.

Author Keywords

child health care services Obesity Dental health Refugee children nutrition

Index Keywords

refugee Follow-Up Studies human epidemiology Refugees Middle East obesity priority journal health status chronic disease Sweden Adolescent male iron deficiency female Infant Child, Preschool growth dental caries Anemia, Hypochromic Article Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Chile normal human anthropometry nutritional status Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0025830620&partnerID=40&md5=7f48acb44bdf097dcf4b53a10f3d2fd9
ISSN: 0001656X
Cited by: 29
Original Language: English