Migrants' admissions to hospital: a retrospective study in Como from 1994 to 1998.
BACKGROUND
International migrants represent only 4.5% of the world's population, but they may become a challenge for host countries. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of this population on health parameters in Como county, on the northern border of Italy.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of migrants' admissions at Sant'Anna Hospital in 1998 was done, and compared to data from 1994.


RESULTS
Of 47,378 total admissions at our hospital, 268 involved migrants (0.5%), mostly from the former Yugoslavia, with a slight preponderance of females; 22 out of 268 migrants were admitted in the Infectious Diseases Department (8.2%), mainly from Africa. Most admissions were classified as Drug Related Group (DRG), but an increasing number of miscellaneous DRGs are reported, including obstetric ones.


CONCLUSIONS
The emergence of a female population among migrant admissions, and the relevance of delivery DRGs in 1998, may suggest that, after a first immigration wave of rather healthy men in search of good job opportunities during the first years of the 90s, we are now observing a second wave of migrants: their families. The increasing number of patients from the former Yugoslavia reported in 1998, could suggest that a third wave is expected in the near future: these will be irregular migrants and refugees.
Santoro
D
D
Infectious Diseases Department, Sant'Anna Hospital, Como, Italy.
Visoná
R
R
Pusterla
L
L
Vigevani
G M
GM
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies