Abstract
Refugee children can have significant health problems. Our objective was to describe health status and health care utilization
of refugee children after resettlement. A retrospective chart review of refugee children was performed. Initial laboratory
data was extracted. Primary care visits, emergency room visits, and subspecialty referrals in the first 15 months from arrival
were recorded. The sample included 198 refugees, many with positive initial screening tests. After arrival, 21% had an emergency
department visit, 40% had a primary care sick visit, and 71% had a primary care follow-up. Mean number of visits ranged from
0.3 for emergency department to 1.9 for follow-up. Fifty-seven percent were referred to at least one subspecialist. Refugee
children had substantial disease burden at arrival. Most had primary care follow-up visits and subspecialty referral after
resettlement. These visits were largely for problems identified on initial screening and for general pediatric illnesses.
of refugee children after resettlement. A retrospective chart review of refugee children was performed. Initial laboratory
data was extracted. Primary care visits, emergency room visits, and subspecialty referrals in the first 15 months from arrival
were recorded. The sample included 198 refugees, many with positive initial screening tests. After arrival, 21% had an emergency
department visit, 40% had a primary care sick visit, and 71% had a primary care follow-up. Mean number of visits ranged from
0.3 for emergency department to 1.9 for follow-up. Fifty-seven percent were referred to at least one subspecialist. Refugee
children had substantial disease burden at arrival. Most had primary care follow-up visits and subspecialty referral after
resettlement. These visits were largely for problems identified on initial screening and for general pediatric illnesses.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-6
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-011-9530-1
- Authors
- Delma-Jean Watts, Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Potter Suite 200, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Jennifer F. Friedman, Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Patrick M. Vivier, Departments of Community Health and Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Christine E. A. Tompkins, Department of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Potter Suite 200, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Anthony J. Alario, Department of Pediatrics, UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, Worcester, MA, USA
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912