Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 20, Issue 6, 2018, Pages 1332-1338

Prevalence and Types of Anemia in a Large Refugee Cohort in Western Europe in 2015 (Article)

Jablonka A.* , Wetzke M. , Sogkas G. , Dopfer C. , Schmidt R.E. , Behrens G.M.N. , Happle C.
  • a Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hanover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research, Hanover, Germany
  • b Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Neonatology and Allergology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
  • c Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hanover, 30625, Germany
  • d Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Neonatology and Allergology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
  • e Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hanover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research, Hanover, Germany
  • f Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hanover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research, Hanover, Germany
  • g Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Neonatology and Allergology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany, German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH, Hanover, Germany

Abstract

Currently, vast numbers of migrants with largely unknown health statuses have been entering Europe. To improve care taking strategies, prevalence, severity and types of anemia in a large refugee cohort were assessed. Blood counts were performed in n = 787 inhabitants from six German refugee centers. Most included migrants were young, male adults. Anemia was present in 22.5% of subjects with an age-dependent prevalence increase (7.9% > 18 years vs. 30.8% > 50 years). More females than males were anemic (27.1% vs. 20.4%). The majority of affected migrants had mild anemia (86.2%) of either normocytic/normochromic (55.9%) or microcytic/hypochromic (20.9%) type. Observed anemia frequencies are in accordance with global anemia prevalence recently estimated by the WHO. However, the observed high rates of anemia particularly in female and older refugees emphasize the need for adapted care taking strategies in refugee medicine. Further evaluation of causes of anemia in the migrating population is needed. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Asylum Hemoglobin Anemia Blood Refugee

Index Keywords

Germany refugee human epidemiology Refugees middle aged statistics and numerical data health status Aged ethnology Young Adult Humans anemia classification Adolescent Severity of Illness Index male female prevalence adult age sex factor Sex Factors Age Factors Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85044447304&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-018-0725-6&partnerID=40&md5=5d7d7992a911be2e3e4ef387dd70069a
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0725-6
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English