Public Health Research & Practice (Mar 2018)

Blood screen findings in a 2-year cohort of newly arrived refugees to Sydney, Australia

  • Choisung C Ngo,
  • Christine Maidment,
  • Lisa Atkins,
  • Sandy Eagar,
  • Mitchell M Smith

DOI
https://doi.org/10.17061/phrp2811804
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 1

Abstract

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Objectives: To describe the prevalence of certain health conditions in newly arrived refugees to Sydney, Australia, and thereby help inform screening practices. Study type: A clinical audit of routinely collected pathology results. Methods: Demographics and pathology results from a nurse-led health assessment program for newly arrived refugees during 2013 and 2014 were analysed. Prevalences of screened conditions were calculated, and compared by country of birth and other demographic features. A specific category was created for those from Middle Eastern countries, for comparative analysis. Results: Pathology results were analysed for 3307 people from 4768 seen by the assessment program (69.4%). Anaemia was found in 6% of males and 7.6% of females. Vitamin D deficiency (1%).

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