Health profile and disease determinants among asylum seekers: a cross-sectional retrospective study from an Italian reception centre

Abstract

Background: Data on diseases' determinants and health status of asylum seekers (ASs) are limited.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional retrospective study in a large ASs centre in Italy. Data were collected during a 1-year period. Descriptive statistics were calculated. A χ(2) test was used to assess the association between socio-demographics characteristics of ASs and screening test results. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify diseases' predictors by using ICD-10 diagnoses classification as outcome variable, socio-demographic characteristics as independent variable and visits' number as confounding variable.

Results: Overall, data on 792 ASs (mean age 27 years, 80% males, 58% from Africa) were assessed, 43% underwent voluntary infectious diseases screening and 2843 diagnoses were recorded. The most frequent diagnoses were: respiratory diseases, symptoms/signs not elsewhere classified, digestive diseases and infectious diseases. Gender was the most frequent predictor of ICD-10 diagnoses, while African origin, civil status and education were, respectively, predictive of cardiovascular and infectious diseases, genitourinary diseases and pregnancy-related disorders. Higher mean age was associated with syphilis, HIV and HCV infection and African origin with HIV infection.

Conclusions: Communicable diseases were not prevalent in the ASs population we analysed. A stronger cultural mediation support is needed to facilitate prevention, access and continuity of care for ASs.

Keywords: asylum seekers; healthcare; infectious diseases screening; migration.