Background: Refugee immigration to European countries including the Federal Republic of Germany has increased rapidly over the last few years; however, little information on refugee morbidity and mortality in Europe is available. Aim of the study: This study, conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Charité – University Medicine in Berlin, and the Federal Institute of Forensic and Social Medicine Berlin, involved a prospective analysis of autopsy data from 38 refugee fatalities during a 30-month period. Material and methods: Between January 2015 and June 2017, a total of 38 autopsies were carried out on refugees aged between 0 and 78 years old, 32 of which were male and 6 female. In 66% of the cases an unnatural manner of death was recorded, of which the leading causes were accidents (32%), followed by suicides (24%), homicides (24%) and 16% were due to drug intoxication. Of the accidental deaths, falls from a height and drowning were most common. Natural manners of death made up less than one third of fatalities, whereby cardiovascular diseases were predominant and one individual died from an infectious disease. Conclusion: Refugees represent a heterogeneous population group. Considering the extraordinary and diverse burdens imposed on refugees by virtue of their predicament, numerous factors can lead to adverse impacts on their physical and mental health. Further studies will be necessary to generate sufficient data about the morbidity and mortality of refugees in Germany for the development and application of customized preventive measures. © 2018, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.

Asylum seekers Cause of death Unnatural manner of death Accident Preventive measures

prospective study Germany morality refugee mental health human Aged death morbidity organization drowning drug intoxication forensic medicine autopsy medicolegal aspect accidental death drug Adolescent homicide male female Infant newborn clinical article Article fatality adult mortality Suicide Child