Post-immigrant refugee medicine
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
EDITOR—Adams et al highlight the importance of pre-departure and migration history in post-immigration refugee medicine,1 but health professionals must also consider the ongoing reality of mobility in this population.2
For example, a newcomer, in whom diabetes has been diagnosed during screening, happens to mention the recent death of her mother. This leads to the discovery of plans to travel back home to the Sudan and a timely provision of health advice, malaria prophylaxis, and a summary of drug treatment.
Population mobility in the context of refugees refers to the forced movement of people beginning before departure and continuing for years, sometimes a lifetime, as people search for a place to call home. Historically, refugee programmes have focused only on early integration: screening and disease treatment. Refugees will often continue to move as they seek community support and employment, and they will often return to home (or near to home) countries to visit friends and relatives.
These movements unveil global health disparities related to diseases and access to health care—for example, immigrants are at increased risk of travel related illness.3 Immigrants are often unaware of the importance of travel advice and disease prevention strategies. Acknowledging the reality of this mobility can allow for a systematic delivery of advice on travelling home, health promotion for cancers and cardiovascular diseases,4 and low cost mechanisms to communicate and transfer medical histories.
Kevin Pottie, assistant professor
kpottie@uottawa.ca
Patricia Topp, program coordinator, Frances Kilbertus, assistant professor
Immigrant Health and Visiting Friends and Relatives Program, University of Ottawa, 75 Bruyere Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 5C8
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Adams KS, Gardiner DL, Assefi N. Healthcare challenges from the developing world: post-immigration refugee medicine. BMJ 2004;328: 1548-52. (26 June.)
Gushulak BD, MacPherson DW. Population mobility and infectious diseases: the diminishing impact of classical infectious diseases and new approaches for the 21st century. Clin Infect Dis 2000;31: 776-80.
Bacaner N, Stauffer B, Boulware DR, Walker PF, Keystone JS. Travel medicine considerations for North American immigrants visiting friends and relatives. JAMA 2004;291: 2856-64.
Gavagan T, Brodyaga L. Medical care for immigrants and refugees. Am Fam Physician 1998;57: 1061-8.
For example, a newcomer, in whom diabetes has been diagnosed during screening, happens to mention the recent death of her mother. This leads to the discovery of plans to travel back home to the Sudan and a timely provision of health advice, malaria prophylaxis, and a summary of drug treatment.
Population mobility in the context of refugees refers to the forced movement of people beginning before departure and continuing for years, sometimes a lifetime, as people search for a place to call home. Historically, refugee programmes have focused only on early integration: screening and disease treatment. Refugees will often continue to move as they seek community support and employment, and they will often return to home (or near to home) countries to visit friends and relatives.
These movements unveil global health disparities related to diseases and access to health care—for example, immigrants are at increased risk of travel related illness.3 Immigrants are often unaware of the importance of travel advice and disease prevention strategies. Acknowledging the reality of this mobility can allow for a systematic delivery of advice on travelling home, health promotion for cancers and cardiovascular diseases,4 and low cost mechanisms to communicate and transfer medical histories.
Kevin Pottie, assistant professor
kpottie@uottawa.ca
Patricia Topp, program coordinator, Frances Kilbertus, assistant professor
Immigrant Health and Visiting Friends and Relatives Program, University of Ottawa, 75 Bruyere Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 5C8
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Adams KS, Gardiner DL, Assefi N. Healthcare challenges from the developing world: post-immigration refugee medicine. BMJ 2004;328: 1548-52. (26 June.)
Gushulak BD, MacPherson DW. Population mobility and infectious diseases: the diminishing impact of classical infectious diseases and new approaches for the 21st century. Clin Infect Dis 2000;31: 776-80.
Bacaner N, Stauffer B, Boulware DR, Walker PF, Keystone JS. Travel medicine considerations for North American immigrants visiting friends and relatives. JAMA 2004;291: 2856-64.
Gavagan T, Brodyaga L. Medical care for immigrants and refugees. Am Fam Physician 1998;57: 1061-8.