The Health of Newly Arrived Migrants: Results of nursing assessments conducted from October 2015 to March 2016 at centers in the Île-de-France region housing migrants evacuated from Parisian encampments.

From June 2015 to March 2016, 16 evictions of makeshift camps took place in the capital, affecting approximately 5,000 migrants. Health screenings conducted by nurses assisted by interpreters—followed, when necessary, by referrals to healthcare facilities—were offered at shelters in the Île-de-France region housing these migrants. During these health assessments, information was collected using a standardized approach: migration history, health status, and access to care for these individuals, as well as health care referral needs identified by the nurses. In total, 736 of these assessments, conducted in 28 centers, were analyzed. They concern a population that is predominantly young and male, coming mainly from Sudan, Afghanistan, and Eritrea. Three-quarters reported a health problem dating back less than six months, 16% reported a problem that had been present for more than six months, and 12% said they had foregone care in the past 12 months. For 73% of the individuals, nurses identified a need for healthcare referral at the end of the assessment. Despite differences in nursing practices and healthcare offerings across regions—which limit the ability to interpret the observed differences—these results show that a large number of migrants had to be referred to healthcare facilities. This suggests the need to continue strengthening partnerships between these facilities and housing centers, as well as supporting migrants in their efforts to access healthcare and health insurance coverage.

Author(s): Guisao A, Jangal C, Quere M, Laporte A, Riou F

Publishing year: 2017

Pages: 382-8

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2017, n° 19-20, p. 382-8

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