Migration and determinants of health: clinical epidemiological characteristics of migrants in Malta (2010-11)

Padovese, Valeska; Egidi, Ada Maristella; Fenech, Tanya Melillo; Connor, Marika Podda; Didero, Daniele; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta

doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdt111

Cited by 40 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Like ours, earlier studies showed that African migrants were young men and had respiratory and gastrointestinal morbidities as well as traumatic injuries [ 12 – 14 , 17 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

“…Among all studies, pregnancy-associated conditions were the most common reasons for hospital referral among women [ 12 , 13 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three previous studies analyzed medical activities in Malta in 2010–2011, in Lampedusa in 2010 as well as in 139 immigration centers operating in 13 Italian regions from May 2011 to June 2013. These studies showed that migrants were usually young men from African countries [ 12 – 14 ]. Although most were healthy or presented with minor health conditions, the main diseases observed were dermatological, respiratory and gastrointestinal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dangerous crossing: demographic and clinical features of rescued sea migrants seen in 2014 at an outpatient clinic at Augusta Harbor, Italy

Trovato¹,

Reid

Takarinda³

et al. 2016

Confl Health

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BackgroundIn recent years Europe has received an increasing influx of migrants, many of whom risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea. In October 2013, Italy launched a search and rescue operation at sea in response to migrant deaths during the sea crossing. In August 2014, Médecins sans Frontières and the local Ministry of Health established an outpatient clinic at Augusta harbor, in Sicily, which received 26 % of total sea migrants arrived in Italy in 2014, to provide immediate medical assessment and care.MethodsThis is a descriptive study of demographic and clinical data of sea migrants seen at the port clinic in Augusta from August to December 2014. We compared migrants from Near Eastern, war-torn regions (Group 1) and the others, mostly African (Group 2), as there were significant differences in terms of demographic and morbidity profiles.ResultsThere were 2593 migrants consulting the clinic (17 % af all rescued migrants) with 5 % being referred to hospital. Most were young males. The overall burden of vulnerability (pregnant women, children ≤5 years, unaccompanied minors, single parents with children of minor age, disabled and elderly persons) was 24 %. There were more small children, pregnant women, elderly, disabled, and persons with chronic diseases in Group 1, as compared to Group 2. Group 2 had more unaccompanied minors. Morbitidies in common were respiratory, dermatological, trauma-related and gastrointestinal conditions. However, acute and chronic cardiovascular disease, as well as diabetes, were more frequent in Group 1; chronic diseases affected 19 % of this group. Group 2 had more patients with skin diseases. Most migrants attributed their presenting symptoms to the perils of their journey. No risks for public health were detected.ConclusionAmong sea migrants, we identified two groups with different demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as vulnerability patterns. Overall morbidity suggested that the dangerous journey affected migrants’ health. Medical activities at reception sites should include screening for vulnerability and chronic disease management. Ensuring medical care to migrants on arrival can address European humanitarian obligations and provide support to local medical facilities.

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“…Like ours, earlier studies showed that African migrants were young men and had respiratory and gastrointestinal morbidities as well as traumatic injuries [ 12 – 14 , 17 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

“…Among all studies, pregnancy-associated conditions were the most common reasons for hospital referral among women [ 12 , 13 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Dangerous crossing: demographic and clinical features of rescued sea migrants seen in 2014 at an outpatient clinic at Augusta Harbor, Italy

Trovato¹,

Reid

Takarinda³

et al. 2016

Confl Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The conditions and circumstances surrounding migration pathways often pose risks to the physical, mental and social well-being of migrants. [41][42][43][44] Various factors along migration pathways can, therefore, themselves be regarded as a social determinant of health (see Figure 2). [45][46][47] While the factors discussed here can affect health risks for all those who migrate, certain subgroups may be more vulnerable than others due to gender and age, and by legal status.…”

Section: Migration Pathways Social Determinants Of Health and Tubercmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of tuberculosis and migration

Dhavan

Dias

Creswell³

et al. 2017

int j tuberc lung dis

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With nearly one billion migrants worldwide, migration is both a dynamic and a divisive phenomenon facing the world today. Migrants are a heterogeneous group, and the conditions surrounding migration pathways often pose risks to the physical, mental and social well-being of migrants, with certain subgroups being more vulnerable than others. Several determinants of health and tuberculosis (TB) interplay to increase the vulnerability of migrants to tuberculous infection, TB disease and poor treatment outcomes, making them a key population for TB. This article is the first in the State-of-the-Art series of the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease on TB and migration. It provides an overview of migration trends, migration pathways and social determinants, and impact on TB. This article outlines a framework for the prevention and reduction of the TB burden among migrants, adapted from the World Health Organization's End TB Strategy, and in accordance with the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. The framework highlights the need for migrant-inclusive national TB plans, and calls for action across all three pillars of the End TB Strategy for migrant-sensitive care and prevention, bold intersectoral policies and systems supportive of migrants, and operational research. More research is needed on the TB burden and challenges faced by migrants and on the feasibility and effectiveness of approaches proposed here and the scaling up of models already underway. Political commitment at the highest national and international levels will be critical to intensify action for promoting the health of migrants on the road to achieving the end TB targets.

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“…Such flows have informed a small body of relevant scholarship. For example, Padovese et al (2013) examined the arrival of boat migrants from the Horn of Africa who reached Malta between 2010 and 2011 only to be housed in open centres across the island [ 22 ]. However, to date, few have considered their study of the health determinants of some 2216 migrants, housed in 10 open centres on a European Union state in the Mediterranean [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Challenges in Refugee Reception: Dateline Europe 2016

Blitz

D’Angelo

Kofman

et al. 2017

IJERPH

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The arrival of more than one million migrants, many of them refugees, has proved a major test for the European Union. Although international relief and monitoring agencies have been critical of makeshift camps in Calais and Eidomeni where infectious disease and overcrowding present major health risks, few have examined the nature of the official reception system and its impact on health delivery. Drawing upon research findings from an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded project, this article considers the physical and mental health of asylum–seekers in transit and analyses how the closure of borders has engendered health risks for populations in recognised reception centres in Sicily and in Greece. Data gathered by means of a survey administered in Greece (300) and in Sicily (400), and complemented by in-depth interviews with migrants (45) and key informants (50) including representatives of government offices, humanitarian and relief agencies, NGOs and activist organisations, are presented to offer an analysis of the reception systems in the two frontline states. We note that medical provision varies significantly from one centre to another and that centre managers play a critical role in the transmission of vital information. A key finding is that, given such disparity, the criteria used by the UNHCR to grade health services reception do not address the substantive issue that prevent refugees from accessing health services, even when provided on site. Health provision is not as recorded in UNHCR reporting but rather there are critical gaps between provision, awareness, and access for refugees in reception systems in Sicily and in Greece. This article concludes that there is a great need for more information campaigns to direct refugees to essential services.

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Migration and determinants of health: clinical epidemiological characteristics of migrants in Malta (2010-11)

Cited by 40 publications

References 19 publications

Dangerous crossing: demographic and clinical features of rescued sea migrants seen in 2014 at an outpatient clinic at Augusta Harbor, Italy

Dangerous crossing: demographic and clinical features of rescued sea migrants seen in 2014 at an outpatient clinic at Augusta Harbor, Italy

An overview of tuberculosis and migration

Health Challenges in Refugee Reception: Dateline Europe 2016

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