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.
Is there a risk of yellow fever virus transmission in South Asian countries with hyperendemic dengue?
Author/s: Suneth Agampodi, Kolitha Wickramage
The fact that yellow fever (YF) has never occurred in Asia remains an "unsolved mystery" in global health. Most countries in Asia with high Aedes aegypti mosquito density are considered "receptive" for YF transmission. Recently, health officials in Sri Lanka issued a public health alert on the potential spread of YF from a migrant group from West Africa. We performed an extensive review of literature pertaining to the risk of YF in Sri Lanka/South Asian region to…
Read moreIrregular migration as a potential source of malaria reintroduction in Sri Lanka and use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests at point-of-entry screening
Author/s: Kolitha Wickramage, Gawrie Galappaththy, D Dayarathne, Sharike Peiris, Rajeeka Basnayake, Davide Mosca, Jan Jacobs
Background. We describe an irregular migrant who returned to Sri Lanka after a failed people smuggling operation from West Africa. Results. On-arrival screening by Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC) officers using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) (CareStart Malaria HRP2/PLDH) indicated a negative result. On day 3 after arrival, he presented with fever and chills but was managed as dengue (which is hyperendemic in Sri Lanka). Only on day 7, diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum…
Read moreLead poisoning in United States-bound refugee children: Thailand-Burma border, 2009
Author/s: Mitchell T, Jentes E, Ortega L, Scalia Sucosky M, Jefferies T, Bajcevic P, Parr V, Jones W, Brown MJ, Painter J
Background: Elevated blood lead levels lead to permanent neurocognitive sequelae in children. Resettled refugee children in the United States are considered at high risk for elevated blood lead levels, but the prevalence of and risk factors for elevated blood lead levels before resettlement have not been described.
Methods: Blood samples from children aged 6 months to 14 years from refugee camps in Thailand were tested for lead and hemoglobin. Sixty-seven children…
Read moreField evaluation of a simple fluorescence method for detection of viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens during treatment follow-up
Author/s: Schramm B, Hewison C, Bonte L, Jones W, Camélique O, Ruangweerayut R, Swaddiwudhipong W, Bonnet M
Simple tuberculosis (TB) treatment monitoring tools are needed. We assessed the performance of fluorescein-diacetate (FDA) smear microscopy for detection of viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens (n = 288) of TB cases under treatment compared to culture (17.4% culture positivity). FDA sensitivity was moderate (83.7% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 70.3 to 92.6]), and specificity was low (66.1% [59.5 to 72.2]). The good negative predictive value (94.8% [90.1 to 97.8]) and…
Read moreVaricella (Chickenpox) outbreak in Bhutanese refugee camps in Eastern Nepal
Author/s: Anit Mishra, Olga Gorbacheva, MMT Hasan, N Rimal
Approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees live in seven camps in southeastern Nepal. For those offered resettlement to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, or Netherlands, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nepal conducts medical screening and arranges travel, moving up to 15,000 refugees annually. Varicella spreads primarily by airborne droplets and patients with infectious varicella are prohibited from the air travel. Varicella…
Read moreKnowledge and views regarding condom use among female garment factory workers in Cambodia
Author/s: Webber G, Edwards N, Amaratunga C, Graham ID, Keane V, Ros S
Abstract
Cambodia is experiencing a generalized HIV epidemic; there is evidence some populations within Cambodia are particularly vulnerable to infection. A mixed-methods study was conducted in 2006 on the vulnerability to contract HIV of rural-to-urban migrant Cambodian garment factory workers. This paper reports the views of these female migrant workers regarding the use of condoms in their sexual relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 20 workers about their…
Read morePrevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal: Results of active case finding
Author/s: Olga Gorbacheva, AK Mishra, D Shapovalov, S Sudtasay
Approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees live in camps in southeastern Nepal. Since December 2007 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nepal has conducted medical screening of Bhutanese refugees prior to resettlement in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Norway. Screening for TB included both sputum smears and cultures. The estimated prevalence of all forms of TB was 243 per 100,000 in Nepal (WHO, 2006), and 217 per 100,000 in Bhutanese…
Read moreA survey of Cambodian health-care providers' HIV knowledge, attitudes and intentions to take a sexual history
Author/s: Webber G, Edwards N, Graham ID, Amaratunga C, Gaboury I, Keane V, Ros S, McDowell I
Abstract
Cambodia has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV in Asia and is scaling up HIV testing. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 358 health care providers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to assess readiness for voluntary testing and counselling for HIV. We measured HIV knowledge and attitudes, and predictors of intentions to take a sexual history using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Over 90% of health care providers correctly answered knowledge questions about HIV…
Read moreEvaluation of the impact of overseas pre-departure treatment for infection with intestinal parasites among Montagnard refugees migrating from Cambodia to North Carolina
Author/s: Shah JJ, Maloney SA, Liu Y, Flagg EW, Johnston SP, Young SA, Weston R, Merritt S, Wilkins PP, Keane V, Calderon J, Sharp DJ, Causer L, Maguire JH, Cetron MS
Abstract
We evaluated the effectiveness of an overseas pre-departure regimen of five days of albendazole for presumptive treatment of intestinal parasites by examining stool specimens in treated and untreated Montagnard refugees after arrival in the United States. Among 815 refugees evaluated, fully treated refugees had a significantly lower prevalence of helminths (11 [1.4%] of 777), specifically hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides, than untreated pregnant women (3 [20%] of 15) (P…
Read moreMultidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Outbreak among US-bound Hmong Refugees, Thailand, 2005
Author/s: John Oeltmann, Jay Varma, Luis Ortega, Yecai Liu, Thomas O’Rourke, Maria Cano, Theresa Harrington, Sean Toney, Warren Jones, Samart Karuchit, Lois Diem, Dhanida Rienthong, Jordan Tappero, Kashef Ijaz, Susan Maloney
In January 2005, tuberculosis (TB), including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB), was reported among Hmong refugees who were living in or had recently immigrated to the United States from a camp in Thailand. We investigated TB and drug resistance, enhanced TB screenings, and expanded treatment capacity in the camp. In February 2005, 272 patients with TB (24 MDR TB) remained in the camp. Among 17 MDR TB patients interviewed, 13 were found to be linked socially. Of 23 MDR TB…
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