Health Risks for Migrants and Refugees
Author Information
Author(s): Susan Cookson, Ronald Waldman, Brian Gushulak, Douglas MacPherson, Frederick Burkle, Jr., Christophe Paquet, Erich Kliewer, Patricia Walker
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
How do health interventions impact the spread of infectious diseases among migrants?
Conclusion
Improving the health of migrants is essential to reduce the public health risk of infectious disease spread.
Supporting Evidence
- More than 15 million people seek political asylum or become refugees each year.
- Cholera outbreaks have been documented among refugee populations.
- Active case-finding and rehydration therapy can significantly reduce cholera fatalities.
- Foreign-born persons in Australia had lower hospitalization rates than native Australians.
Takeaway
Many people move to new countries, and it's important to keep them healthy to stop diseases from spreading.
Limitations
The study does not clarify whether lower hospitalization rates among immigrants are due to better health or access issues.
Participant Demographics
Includes various refugee groups such as Hmong, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Russian, Ukrainian, African, and Latin American.
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