title: Health issues in newly arrived African refugees attending general practice clinics in Melbourne.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the most common health issues diagnosed by general practitioners in newly arrived African refugees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study based on a purposive sample of six GPs to collate data from medical records of patients from African countries who had attended their clinics for the first time between 1 January and 30 June 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two community health centres and two private general practices in metropolitan Melbourne.
  
  
  METHODS
  African refugee patients who arrived in Australia after 1 June 2004 and were seen by the six participating GPs between 1 January and 30 June 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic characteristics, laboratory test results and final diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected from 258 patient files. Most patients were from Sudan (57%) or Liberia (17%). Half were aged under 15 years. The most common health problems identified were inadequate vaccinations, nutritional deficiencies (vitamin D and iron), infectious diseases (gastrointestinal infections, schistosomiasis, and latent tuberculosis) and dental disease. Musculoskeletal, psychological and social problems were common in adults. 37% of patients were tested for latent tuberculosis, and 25% of these tested positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  African refugees require comprehensive health assessments for undiagnosed and untreated health problems. While most of the common diseases identified are non-communicable, if left untreated they will affect the long-term health and productivity of new settlers.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Albert C D
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tiong
authors.forename: Mahomed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.forename: Rowena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Linton
authors.forename: Kate A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scopel
authors.forename: Beverley-Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Biggs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003151:Community Health Centers; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011331:Private Practice; D012036:Refugees; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D014611:Vaccination; D014739:Victoria; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis