Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Confl Health. 2017 January 13; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-017-0103-3
Crepet A, Rita F, Reid AJ, van den Boogaard W, Deiana P, et al.
Confl Health. 2017 January 13; Volume 11 (Issue 1); 1.; DOI:10.1186/s13031-017-0103-3
In 2015, Italy was the second most common point of entry for asylum seekers into Europe after Greece. The vast majority embarked from war-torn Libya; 80,000 people claimed asylum that year. Their medical conditions were assessed on arrival but their mental health needs were not addressed in any way, despite the likelihood of serious trauma before and during migration. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Health, provided mental health (MH) assessment and care for recently-landed asylum seekers in Sicily. This study documents mental health conditions, potentially traumatic events and post-migratory living difficulties experienced by asylum seekers in the MSF programme in 2014-15.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Int Health. 2016 May 20; Volume 8 (Issue 5); 324-329.; DOI:10.1093/inthealth/ihw025
Crepet A, Repetto EC, Al Rousan A, Sane Schepisi M, Girardi E, et al.
Int Health. 2016 May 20; Volume 8 (Issue 5); 324-329.; DOI:10.1093/inthealth/ihw025
BACKGROUND
Between June 2012 and December 2013 Médecins Sans Frontières launched a pilot project with the aim of testing a strategy for improving timely diagnosis of active pulmonary TB among migrants hosted in four centres of identification and expulsion (CIE) in Italy.
METHODS
This is a descriptive study. For active TB case finding we used an active symptom screening approach among migrants at admission in four CIE's. Here we describe the feasibility and the yield of this programme.
RESULTS
Overall, 3588 migrants were screened, among whom 87 (2.4%) had a positive questionnaire. Out of 30 migrants referred for further investigations, three were diagnosed as having TB, or 0.1% out of 3588 individuals that underwent screening. Twenty-five (29%, 25/87) migrants with positive questionnaires were not referred for further investigation, following the doctors' decision; however, for 32 (37%, 32/87) migrants the diagnostic work-out was not completed. In multivariate analyses, being over 35 years (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.1-2.6) and being transgender (OR 4.9; 95% CI 2.1-11.7), was associated with a positive questionnaire.
CONCLUSIONS
TB screening with symptom screening questionnaires of migrants at admission in closed centres is feasible. However, to improve the yield, follow-up of patients with symptoms or signs suggestive for TB needs to be improved.
Between June 2012 and December 2013 Médecins Sans Frontières launched a pilot project with the aim of testing a strategy for improving timely diagnosis of active pulmonary TB among migrants hosted in four centres of identification and expulsion (CIE) in Italy.
METHODS
This is a descriptive study. For active TB case finding we used an active symptom screening approach among migrants at admission in four CIE's. Here we describe the feasibility and the yield of this programme.
RESULTS
Overall, 3588 migrants were screened, among whom 87 (2.4%) had a positive questionnaire. Out of 30 migrants referred for further investigations, three were diagnosed as having TB, or 0.1% out of 3588 individuals that underwent screening. Twenty-five (29%, 25/87) migrants with positive questionnaires were not referred for further investigation, following the doctors' decision; however, for 32 (37%, 32/87) migrants the diagnostic work-out was not completed. In multivariate analyses, being over 35 years (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.1-2.6) and being transgender (OR 4.9; 95% CI 2.1-11.7), was associated with a positive questionnaire.
CONCLUSIONS
TB screening with symptom screening questionnaires of migrants at admission in closed centres is feasible. However, to improve the yield, follow-up of patients with symptoms or signs suggestive for TB needs to be improved.