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The Health Profile and Chronic Diseases Comorbidities of US-Bound Iraqi Refugees Screened by the International Organization for Migration in Jordan: 2007–2009

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Abstract

More than 63,000 Iraqi refugees were resettled in the United States from 1994 to 2010. We analyzed data for all US-bound Iraqi refugees screened in International Organization for Migration clinics in Jordan during June 2007–September 2009 (n = 18,990), to describe their health profile before arrival in the United States. Of 14,077 US-bound Iraqi refugees ≥15 years of age, one had active TB, 251 had latent TB infection, and 14 had syphilis. No HIV infections were reported. Chronic diseases comorbidities accounted for a large burden of disease in this population: 35% (n = 4,105) of screened Iraqi refugees had at least one of three chronic medical conditions; hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or obesity. State health departments and clinicians who screen refugees need to be aware of the high prevalence of chronic diseases among Iraqi refugees resettled in the United States. These results will help public health specialists develop policies to reduce morbidity and mortality among US-bound Iraqi refugees.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to the IOM staff in Jordan for their support in data management: Ivan Vukovic, Rima Al-Azrai, Abdullah Al-Hayajneh, and to Tarissa Mitchell, Clive Brown, Rick Hull, Rachel Kaufmann, Yuling Hong, Ava Navin, and Crystal Polite for their contribution to study design, thorough review, and statistical support. This work was supported solely by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division for Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS E03, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Emad A. Yanni, Pauline Han, Margaret Coleman & Heather Burke

  2. International Organization for Migration, Migration Health Assessment Center IOM, Amman, Jordan

    Marwan Naoum & Nedal Odeh

Authors
  1. Emad A. Yanni
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  2. Marwan Naoum
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  3. Nedal Odeh
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  4. Pauline Han
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  5. Margaret Coleman
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  6. Heather Burke
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Correspondence to Emad A. Yanni.

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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Yanni, E.A., Naoum, M., Odeh, N. et al. The Health Profile and Chronic Diseases Comorbidities of US-Bound Iraqi Refugees Screened by the International Organization for Migration in Jordan: 2007–2009. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 1–9 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9578-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9578-6

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