Clinical findings in Southeast Asian refugees.
Since 1979, we have provided comprehensive medical care to a group of 142 Southeast Asian refugees who relocated in Connecticut. In this group, we identified clinically important issues in child development. As plotted on standard growth curves, 47% of refugee children were below the fifth percentile in height for age and 22% were below the fifth percentile in weight for height. Although these children are potentially at increased risk for nutrition-related health problems, our clinical assessment did not confirm malnutrition. We also confirm a high prevalence of intestinal parasitism (59%), positive tuberculin test results (40%), and hepatitis B antigenemia (16%), as observed previously by health authorities. We conclude that anthropometry should not replace a clinical nutritional assessment of refugee children.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D012036:Refugees; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology