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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2008 Nov 1;99(6):499–504. [Article in French] doi: 10.1007/BF03403785

Pathologies courantes chez les demandeurs d’asile à Montréal

Prévalence et facteurs de risque associés

Marie-Jo Ouimet 114,✉, Marie Munoz 114, Lavanya Narasiah 114, Vanessa Rambure 214, José A Correa 314
PMCID: PMC6975710  PMID: 19149395

Abstract

Background

: Canada received 22,873 asylum seekers in 2006. The screening of specific health problems in this population seems warranted. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of pathologies that were screened at the PRAIDA health service in Montreal, and to identify associations with certain risk factors.

Methods

: A retrospective study was conducted on the files of patients who were screened between 2000 and 2004. Demographic and clinical information was compiled for computation of prevalence as well as multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

: Of the 289 files reviewed, 56.7% are for male and 43.3% for female patients, with a mean age of 34 years; 53% are Asians and 38% Africans. 59.4% of subjects received a psychiatric diagnosis (mainly depression and post-traumatic stress disorder). The paraclinical work-up showed: 20.3% anaemia, 9% eosinophilia, 29.7% HBcAb+, 5% HBsAg+, 1.5% hepatitis C (RNA+), 2.5% HIV+ and 45.9% TST+. 10.5% of stool samples contained a pathogen, and serologies for strongyloidiasis and schistosomiasis were positive in 17.3% and 3.9% of samples respectively. Significant associations included female gender with anaemia, African origin with rates of HBcAb and TST+, age with HBcAb and hepatitis C positivity, longer length of stay in Canada with eosinophilia and strongyloidiasis, shorter length of stay with HBcAb, and Asian origin with psychiatric disorders.

Conclusions

: This study suggests that the prevalence of screened pathologies as part of the PRAIDA health service work-up are high in this population and therefore warrant continuation of their screening until guidelines are constituted.

Keywords: Refugee claimants, asylum seekers, prevalence, screening, refugees, immigrants

Footnotes

Remerciements: Nous souhaitons souligner notre gratitude à tous les membres de l’équipe du PRAIDA pour son support et sa précieuse aide technique. Nous remercions Dr Morency Duchastel et Dr Gilles de Margerie d’avoir initié le projet du bilan de dépistage. Nous remercions aussi Dr Christina Greenaway, Dr Brian Ward et Dr Dick Maclean pour leurs conseils concernant les maladies infectieuses et tropicales ainsi que Dr Jean-Frédéric Lévesque et Dr Pierre Dongier pour leurs commentaires. Nous soulignons également la participation de Dr Nadine Sicard aux analyses préliminaires.

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