Publications Search

Migration Health Research Bulletin, Issue No. 2

In this edition, four distinct research papers and reports from IOM MHD missions globally are presented. The first one from IOM Mission in Russia looks at the provision of treatment for tuberculosis among labor migrants; the second one from IOM Mission in Sri Lanka explores patterns of labor migrant abuse; the third one from IOM Regional Office Bangkok is about assessment of HIV vulnerabilities and access to HIV health-care services among mobile populations; and the fourth is from IOM…

Migration Health Research Bulletin, Issue No. 1

The 2015 Nepal Earthquake(s): Lessons Learned From the Disability and Rehabilitation Sector's Preparation for, and Response to, Natural Disasters

The frequency of natural disasters appears to be mounting at an alarming rate, and the degree to which people are surviving such traumatic events also is increasing. Post-disaster survival often triggers increases in population and individual disability-related outcomes in the form of impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions, all of which have an important impact on the individual, his or her family, and their community. The increase in postdisaster disability-…

Health for all migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean has faced inconsistent human rights and health protection for migrants in the past, just as much as other regions. For example, in Chile, about 70% of immigrants come from other Latin America and the Caribbean countries (representing 2·7% of the total population of Chile), and a third of them are estimated to be undocumented or socioeconomically vulnerable. These migrants tend to work in informal jobs and to live in poor quality, overcrowded buildings.…

Notes from the Field: Splenomegaly of Unknown Etiology in Congolese Refugees Applying for Resettlement to the United States - Uganda, 2015

Approximately 70,000-90,000 refugees are resettled to the United States each year, and during the next 5 years, 50,000 Congolese refugees are expected to arrive in the United States. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) performs refugee medical examinations overseas for the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program. In 2014, IOM reported that a large number of U.S.-bound Congolese refugees from Uganda had spleens that were enlarged on examination. During two evaluations of refugee…

Partnerships that Facilitate a Refugee's Journey to Wellbeing

The current global refugee crisis involves 65.3 million persons who have been displaced from their homes or countries of origin. While escaping immediate harm may be their first priority, displaced people go on to face numerous health risks, including trauma and injuries, malnutrition, infectious diseases, exacerbation of existing chronic diseases, and mental health conditions. This crisis highlights the importance of building capacity among health-care providers, scientists, and…

Assessing Vulnerabilities and Responses to Environmental Changes in Cambodia

Climate change is anticipated to increase the frequency, intensity and severity of extreme natural events, which could turn into far worse disasters, with considerable impact on human lives, agriculture, health, economy, education, rural and urban infrastructures, and private properties. The study "Assessing Vulnerabilities and Responses to Environmental Changes in Cambodia", funded by the IOM Development Fund, has been conducted jointly by the National Committee for Disaster Management (…

Tuberculosis in migrants moving from high-incidence to low-incidence countries: a population-based cohort study of 519 955 migrants screened before entry to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis elimination in countries with a low incidence of the disease necessitates multiple interventions, including innovations in migrant screening. We examined a cohort of migrants screened for tuberculosis before entry to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and tracked the development of disease in this group after arrival.

METHODS: As part of a pilot pre-entry screening programme for tuberculosis in 15 countries with a high incidence of the disease, the…

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.

…

Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Knowledge on Tuberculosis among Adults in Ethiopia

Background
Ethiopia is among highly tuberculosis affected countries. This might be related to a low level of awareness on the disease in the population. The objective of the study was to determine the level of tuberculosis knowledge and socioeconomic factors associated with it. 
Methods
The 2011 Ethiopia health and demographic survey data were used. Overall tuberculosis knowledge score was computed to evaluate the outcome variable. Multivariable logistic…