Demographic and epidemiological characteristics of Ukrainian refugees in an Italian Local Health Authority

Paolo Parente; Andriy Melnyk; Paolo Lombardo; Leonardo Villani; Adriano Grossi; Mauro Goletti; Andrea Barbara; Giancarlo Santone

doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckad130

Demographic and epidemiological characteristics of Ukrainian refugees in an Italian Local Health Authority

Eur J Public Health. 2023 Oct 10;33(5):815-820. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad130.

Authors

Paolo Parente¹, Andriy Melnyk², Paolo Lombardo³, Leonardo Villani^{1

2}, Adriano Grossi¹, Mauro Goletti¹, Andrea Barbara^{1

3}, Giancarlo Santone¹

Affiliations

¹ Local Health Authority Roma 1, Rome, Italy.
² Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Background: The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused millions of Ukrainian refugees to flee to other nations. To provide the most appropriate assistance, host nations necessitate up-to-date information regarding Ukrainian refugee's demographic and epidemiological conditions. We aim to investigate the demographic composition, the COVID-19 vaccinations performed, specialist care provided and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in refugees assisted by an Italian Local Health Authority (LHA).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis from March to June 2022, analyzing the demographic and epidemiological status of Ukrainians. Statistical analyses were carried out to assess possible associations between NCDs distribution, age and gender.

Results: LHA Roma 1 assisted 9349 Ukrainian refugees. Of these, 2784 (29.8%) were males and 6565 (70.2%) were females, with a median age of 25 years. Two thousand four hundred and eighty-five Ukrainian refugees were vaccinated against COVID-19. Among them, 401 (16.1%) had at least one NCD. The most frequent groups of diseases were related to the circulatory system (50.6%), the endocrine system (24.9%), and mental and behavioral disorders (6.5%).

Conclusion: Refugees need healthcare services targeted mainly towards minors and females. It is essential to analyze and monitor the demographic and epidemiological conditions to provide evidence about patient management and the best care integrated into the health service of host countries.