Morbidity of native, immigrant, and returned refugee populations in family medicine practice in Croatia after 1991-1995 war.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the differences in the morbidity among 325 native inhabitants, 231 immigrants, and 145 returned refugees in Komarevo, Croatia.


METHODS
The data on patients older than 45 years and their chronic diseases classified according to the 10th revision of International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems were collected from the medical files in a family practice in Komarevo. The patients were grouped according to their status (natives, immigrants, and returned refugees) and age (45-64 and > or =65 years). The differences in diagnoses between the groups of the same age were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi2 test.


RESULTS
In the 45-64 age group, hypertension was diagnosed in 67 out of 183 (36.6%) natives, 22 out of 108 (20.4%) immigrants, and 12 out of 50 (24%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=9.48; P=0.008). In the same age group, ischemic heart disease was found in 21 out of 183 (11.4%) natives, 3 out of 108 (2.8%) immigrants, and 3 out of 50 (6.4%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=7.34, P=0.025). In those aged > or =65, intervertebral disc disorders, dorsalgia, and dorsopathy were found in 61 out of 169 (36.1%) natives, 26 out of 123 (21.1%) immigrants, and 15 out of 90 (15.8%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=15.44, P<0.001). Ischemic heart disease was found in 20 out of 169 (11.8%) natives, 4 out of 123 (3.3%) immigrants, and 16 out of 90 (16.8%) returned refugees (chi2(2)=11.40, P=0.003). Five (56%) and six (67%) out of nine groups of diagnoses had the lowest prevalence in immigrants aged 45-64 and > or =65, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Native inhabitants had the highest prevalence of observed chronic diseases, whereas the immigrant adult population had the lowest. Such differences should be kept in mind in the approach to war-affected populations.
Torinek
Tatjana
T
Family Medicine Practice, Komarevo, Croatia.
Katic
Milica
M
Kern
Josipa
J
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014857:Warfare