Adjunct assistant professor, Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, North Carolina; Lincoln Community Health Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Resident physician, Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
N C Med J. 2021 May-Jun;82(3):157-163. doi: 10.18043/ncm.82.3.157.
This study explored the health needs, trends of health care utilization, and barriers to care of a diverse population of refugee children resettled in Durham County, North Carolina.
Researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of 327 pediatric (aged 0-21 years) refugee patients who received care at Lincoln Community Health Center from 2016 to 2018.
Results describe a low prevalence of infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (0%), hepatitis B (2%), and tuberculosis (5%), but a high prevalence of nutritional problems, such as growth stunting (17%), overweight (21%), Vitamin D insufficiency (79% of the 39 tested), and anemia (13%). Subspecialty care was frequently utilized, despite prolonged appointment delays and frequent missed visits.
Limitations of the study included a small sample size that only considered refugees in one geographic area and one primary care clinic, as well as variability in physician documentation.
These findings highlight the need for tailored programs and processes, such as dedicated case management and improved screening practices, in order to facilitate integrated care and promote wellness among this vulnerable group of young refugees.
本研究探讨了北卡罗来纳州达勒姆县多元化难民儿童的健康需求、医疗保健利用趋势和障碍。
研究人员对 2016 年至 2018 年期间在林肯社区健康中心接受治疗的 327 名儿科（0-21 岁）难民患者进行了回顾性图表审查。
结果描述了传染病的低流行率，如人类免疫缺陷病毒（0%）、乙型肝炎（2%）和结核病（5%），但营养问题的流行率很高，如生长迟缓（17%）、超重（21%）、维生素 D 不足（39 名测试者中有 79%）和贫血（13%）。尽管预约延迟和经常失约，但仍经常利用专科医疗服务。
研究的局限性包括仅考虑一个地理区域和一个初级保健诊所的难民，以及医生记录的变异性。
这些发现强调需要制定有针对性的计划和流程，如专门的个案管理和改进的筛选做法，以便为这一脆弱的年轻难民群体提供综合护理和促进健康。
