Common pediatric surgical diseases of refugee children: health around warzone

Abstract

Purpose

We aim to evaluate the sociodemographic and medical features of child-aged refugee patients and identify their health-related problems.

Methods

Refugee children admitted to pediatric surgery department of a teaching hospital during the years 2012–2017 were included. Patients’ files were reviewed retrospectively for sociodemographic and medical features.

Results

A total of 254 patients with the mean age of 4.6 ± 4.15 years (0–16 years) were treated. Male-to-female ratio was 1.7. Most common diagnosis were inguino-scrotal pathologies (n = 50, 19.7%) followed by foreign body ingestion (n = 37, 14.6%) and corrosive esophagitis (n = 22, 8.7%). The cause of admission was a potentially preventable trauma in 24.4% of cases. Comorbid medical conditions were present in 49 patients (19.3%). Anemia was detected in 23.2% of cases. Weight according to age and gender were < 3 percentile in 29.1% of patients. Difficulties in communication, lack of former medical history and advanced presentation of disease were the challenges faced by caregivers.

Conclusion

The primary diagnoses for admission of refugee children were different from the routine practice and a significant part were from preventable causes. Comorbidities were common potentially having a negative influence on treatment processes. This can be a result of unfavorable living conditions and lack of medical care during migration.