Publications Search
This publications portal is a repository of all IOM migration health publications from 2006 to present where IOM was a primary contributor.
Publications include peer-reviewed scientific papers, technical reports, training guides/manuals, policy briefs/discussion papers, factsheets, newsletters, research reviews, conference and poster presentations. These are categorized by topic, author, country/region covered as well as by year, language, and type of publication. The map reflects the countries covered by the publications.
To browse or search: simply use the filter options on the left-hand side. Alternatively, you can enter keyword/s in the search box. Selecting a specific publication will lead to a ‘download’ link or link to the website where the document is housed. Here is the step-by-step guide for your reference.

Use of Point-of-Care Handheld Ultrasound for Splenomegaly in United States-Bound Refugees: A Novel Technology with Far-Reaching Implications
Author/s: Tim Kummer, Alexandra M. Medley, Alexander Klosovsky, Erin Mann, Patricia Mburu, Karen Ekernas, Betty Bonass, Jacob C. Stauffer, Stewart Walukaga, Michelle Weinberg, Stephen J. Dunlop, William M. Stauffer
Ultrasound (US) is an invaluable clinical tool. New point-of-care US technology holds great promise for hard-to-reach and mobile populations such as refugees. The implementation of US in unique and challenging settings has been hindered by cost, fragility of equipment, need for uninterrupted electricity, training, and difficulty in sharing data/image files impeding quality assurance. The recent development of more flexible, durable, high-quality, low-cost, handheld US technology has offered…
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Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists
Author/s: Nirmal Aryal, Arun Sedhain, Pramod R Regmi, Radheshyam Krishna KC, Edwin van Teijlingen
Background: Anecdotal reports suggest an increasing prevalence of kidney problems in returnee Nepali migrant workers from the Gulf countries and Malaysia.
Aims and Objectives: This study aims to (a) explore the magnitude of the kidney health-related problems in returnee Nepali migrant workers; and, (b) assess the need for further scientific investigations.
Materials and Methods: This was a self-administered survey of…
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Kidney health risk of migrant workers: An issue we can no longer overlook
Author/s: Nirmal Aryal, Pramod R. Regmi, Arun Sedhain, Radheshyam Krishna KC, Erwin Martinez Faller, Aney Rijal, Edwin van Teijlingen
The burden of kidney disease-related morbidity and mortality in the general population is rising. Recent data suggest that 1.2 million people worldwide lost their lives from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in 2017. The global prevalence of CKD was estimated between 11% to 13%, according to a 2016 review. There exists a specific population group of low-skilled migrant workers in the countries of the Gulf and Malaysia, who could be at a disproportionately higher risk of kidney health problems.…
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Health of refugees and migrants from former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation: a narrative review
Author/s: Nataliia Bakunina, Artyom Gil, Vitaly Polushkin, Boris Sergeev, Margarita Flores, Igor Toskin, Viktoriya Madyanova, Ruslan Khalfin
Abstract
This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles…
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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
Author/s: Gayathri S. Kumar, Simone S. Wien, Christina R. Phares, Walid Slim, Heather M. Burke, Emily S. Jentes
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…
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Health profile of pediatric Special Immigrant Visa holders arriving from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, 2009–2017: A cross-sectional analysis
Author/s: Simone S. Wien, Gayathri S. Kumar, Oleg O. Bilukha, Walid Slim, Heather M. Burke, Emily S. Jentes
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…
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Prevalence of Tuberculosis Disease Among Adult US-Bound Refugees with Chronic Kidney Disease
Author/s: Barbara Bardenheir, Meda Pavkov, Carla Winston, Alex Klosovsky, Catherine Yen, Stephen Benoit, Stefan Gravenstein, Drew Posey, Christina Phares
The association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and tuberculosis disease (TB) has been recognized for decades. Recently CKD prevalence is increasing in low- to middle-income countries with high TB burden. Using data from the required overseas medical exam and the recommended US follow-up exam for 444,356 US-bound refugees aged ≥ 18 during 2009–2017, we ran Poisson regression to assess the prevalence of TB among refugees with and without CKD, controlling for sex, age,…
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Health status of returning refugees, internally displaced persons, and the host community in a post-conflict district in northern Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional survey
Author/s: Rachel Burns, Kolitha Wickramage, Anwar Musah, Chesmal Siriwardhana, Francesco Checchi
Abstract
Background Although the adverse impacts of conflict-driven displacement on health are well-documented, less is known about how health status and associated risk factors differ according to displacement experience. This study quantifies health status and quality of life among returning refugees, internally displaced persons, and the host community in a post-conflict district in Northern Sri Lanka, and explores associated risk factors.
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The Health Profile and Chronic Diseases Comorbidities of US-Bound Iraqi Refugees Screened by the International Organization for Migration in Jordan: 2007–2009
Author/s: Emad Yanni, Marwan Naoum, Nedal Odeh, Pauline Han, Margaret Coleman, Heather Burke
More than 63,000 Iraqi refugees were resettled in the United States from 1994 to 2010. We analyzed data for all US-bound Iraqi refugees screened in International Organization for Migration clinics in Jordan during June 2007–September 2009 (n = 18,990), to describe their health profile before arrival in the United States. Of 14,077 US-bound Iraqi refugees ≥15 years of age, one had active TB, 251 had latent TB infection, and 14 had syphilis. No HIV infections were reported.…
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Social determinants and risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Asian migrant populations in Europe
Author/s: Anita Davies, Carolyn Blake, Poonam Dhavan
In Europe, policies, strategies and interventions to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases have generally neglected to take into consideration the impact of migration on health outcomes of increasingly multicultural and diverse societies. Research has shown that migrants of South Asian origin living in Europe are more at risk of acquiring non-communicable diseases than their counterparts in their country of origin or than the host European population.…
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