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Health profile of adult special immigrant visa holders arriving from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, 2009–2017: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Background
Between 2,000 and 19,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders (SIVH) from Iraq and Afghanistan resettle in the United States annually. Despite the increase in SIV admissions to the US over recent years, little is known about the health conditions in SIV populations. We assessed the burden of select communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in SIV adults to guide recommendations to clinicians in the US.

Methods and…

Health profile of pediatric Special Immigrant Visa holders arriving from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, 2009–2017: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Background
The United States has admitted over 80,000 Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVH), which include children. Despite the increase in the proportion of SIVH admissions to the US over recent years, little is known about health conditions in SIV children. We report the frequency of selected diseases identified overseas and assess differences in selected conditions between SIV children from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Methods and…

Using artificial intelligence to read chest radiographs for tuberculosis detection: A multi-site evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of three deep learning systems

Deep learning (DL) neural networks have only recently been employed to interpret chest radiography (CXR) to screen and triage people for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). No published studies have compared multiple DL systems and populations. We conducted a retrospective evaluation of three DL systems (CAD4TB, Lunit INSIGHT, and qXR) for detecting TB-associated abnormalities in chest radiographs from outpatients in Nepal and Cameroon. All 1196 individuals received a Xpert MTB/RIF assay and a CXR…

Impact of enhanced health interventions for United States–bound refugees: Evaluating best practices in migration health

With an unprecedented number of displaced persons worldwide, strategies for improving the health of migrating populations are critical. United States–bound refugees undergo a required overseas medical examination to identify inadmissible conditions (e.g., tuberculosis) 2–6 months before resettlement, but it is limited in scope and may miss important, preventable infectious, chronic, or nutritional causes of morbidity. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and health impact…

International Consultation on Pre-Departure Health Assessments: Migrations health assessments as a public health good

Pre-departure migrant health assessment forms an integral part of the immigration processes worldwide. Health assessment experts from the countries of origin and destination met for the first time to discuss the current pre-departure health assessment practices, challenges and opportunities for collaboration. This consultation was organized by the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations…

Cost analysis of measles in refugees arriving at Los Angeles International Airport from Malaysia

ABSTRACT

• Background: On August 24, 2011, 31 US-bound refugees from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KL) arrived in Los Angeles. One of them was diagnosed with measles post-arrival. He exposed others during a flight, and persons in the community while disembarking and seeking medical care. As a result, 9 cases of measles were identified.
• Methods: We estimated costs of response to this outbreak and conducted a comparative…

Migration histories of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients from the Thailand-Myanmar border, 2012-2014

SETTING: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a growing public health threat in South-East Asia. TB is typically a disease of poverty and can be spread by infected humans who migrate from one region to another.

DESIGN: We interviewed 20 MDR-TB patients on the Thailand-Myanmar border with regard to their migration histories. Migration origins and destinations were mapped.

RESULTS: All but one participant had a history of migration, and maps of…

Prevalence of and risk factors for active tuberculosis in migrants screened before entry to the UK: a population-based cross-sectional study

Background: An increasing number of countries with low incidence of tuberculosis have pre-entry screening programmes for migrants. We present the fi rst estimates of the prevalence of and risk factors for tuberculosis in migrants from 15 high-incidence countries screened before entry to the UK.

Methods: We did a population-based cross-sectional study of applicants for long-term visas who were screened for tuberculosis before entry to the UK in a…

Economic Analysis of the Impact of Overseas and Domestic Treatment and Screening Options for Intestinal Helminth Infection among US-Bound Refugees from Asia

BACKGROUND: Many U.S.-bound refugees travel from countries where intestinal parasites (hookworm, Trichuris trichuria, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis) are endemic. These infections are rare in the United States and may be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed, leading to potentially serious consequences. This evaluation examined the costs and benefits of combinations of overseas presumptive treatment of parasitic diseases vs. domestic screening/treating vs. no program.

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Health Vulnerabilities of Migrants from Bangladesh: Baseline Assessment

This study among Bangladeshi migrants is part of the IOM project “Strengthening Government’s Capacity of Selected South Asian Countries to Address the Health of Migrants through a Multi-sectoral Approach”. It is implemented in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. The three objectives of the project are: (1.) Conduct an in-depth assessment among the three South Asian countries to assess health vulnerabilities of migrants, including their access to health and other social…