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Healthcare Utilization in a Large Cohort of Asylum Seekers Entering Western Europe in 2015

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  • Martin Wetzke

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Christine Happle

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Annabelle Vakilzadeh

    (Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Diana Ernst

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Georgios Sogkas

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Reinhold E. Schmidt

    (German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
    Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Georg M. N. Behrens

    (German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
    Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Christian Dopfer

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alexandra Jablonka

    (German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
    Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

During the current period of immigration to Western Europe, national healthcare systems are confronted with high numbers of asylum seekers with largely unknown health status. To improve care taking strategies, we assessed healthcare utilization in a large, representative cohort of newly arriving migrants consisting of n = 1533 residents of a reception center in Northern Germany in 2015. Most asylum seekers were young, male adults, and the majority came from the Eastern Mediterranean region. Overall, we observed a frequency of 0.03 visits to the onsite primary healthcare ward per asylum seeker and day of camp residence (IQR 0.0–0.07, median duration of residence 38.0 days, IQR 30.0–54.25). Female asylum seekers showed higher healthcare utilization rates than their male counterparts, and healthcare utilization was particularly low in asylum seekers in their second decade of life. Furthermore, a significant correlation between time after camp entrance and healthcare utilization behavior occurred: During the first week of camp residence, 37.1 visits/100 asylum seekers were observed, opposed to only 9.5 visits/100 asylum seekers during the sixth week of camp residence. This first data on healthcare utilization in a large, representative asylum seeker cohort entering Western Europe during the current crisis shows that primary care is most needed in the first period directly after arrival. Our dataset may help to raise awareness for refugee and migrant healthcare needs and to adapt care taking strategies accordingly.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Wetzke & Christine Happle & Annabelle Vakilzadeh & Diana Ernst & Georgios Sogkas & Reinhold E. Schmidt & Georg M. N. Behrens & Christian Dopfer & Alexandra Jablonka, 2018. "Healthcare Utilization in a Large Cohort of Asylum Seekers Entering Western Europe in 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-9, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:10:p:2163-:d:173247
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Isabella Buber-Ennser & Judith Kohlenberger & Bernhard Rengs & Zakarya Al Zalak & Anne Goujon & Erich Striessnig & Michaela Potančoková & Richard Gisser & Maria Rita Testa & Wolfgang Lutz, 2016. "Human Capital, Values, and Attitudes of Persons Seeking Refuge in Austria in 2015," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-29, September.
    2. Josefin Wångdahl & Per Lytsy & Lena Mårtensson & Ragnar Westerling, 2018. "Poor health and refraining from seeking healthcare are associated with comprehensive health literacy among refugees: a Swedish cross-sectional study," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(3), pages 409-419, April.
    3. Christian Dopfer & Annabelle Vakilzadeh & Christine Happle & Evelyn Kleinert & Frank Müller & Diana Ernst & Reinhold E. Schmidt & Georg M. N. Behrens & Sonja Merkesdal & Martin Wetzke & Alexandra Jabl, 2018. "Pregnancy Related Health Care Needs in Refugees—A Current Three Center Experience in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, September.
    4. Shannon Doocy & Emily Lyles & Laila Akhu-Zaheya & Ann Burton & William Weiss, 2016. "Health service utilization and access to medicines among Syrian refugee children in Jordan," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 97-112, January.
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