Community-based asylum seekers' use of primary health care services in Melbourne.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate primary health care service utilisation and health presentations among asylum seekers living in Melbourne.


METHODS
Retrospective audit of files of people who attended three Melbourne asylum-seeker health clinics between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006.


METHODS
Rates of reasons for the encounter, diagnostic tests or investigations required, treatments prescribed and referrals.


RESULTS
Data were collected from 998 consultations corresponding to 341 people. Eighty-eight per cent of visits involved people with no Medicare access, owing to their visa status. The most common reasons for the encounter were general and unspecified symptoms or problems (rate, 59.9 per 100 encounters; 95% CI, 55-65), followed by musculoskeletal conditions (27.1; 95% CI, 24-30), and psychological problems (26.5; 95% CI, 23-30). The rate of referrals was 18.3 per 100 encounters (95% CI, 16-21).


CONCLUSIONS
The three clinics providing services to asylum seekers in Melbourne are delivering care to a considerable number of people with complex health needs. A substantial number of asylum seekers present to clinics with psychological and social problems. Most cannot access government-subsidised health care. This must be addressed urgently by policy change at the federal and state and territory levels.
Correa-Velez
Ignacio
I
Refugee Health Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. i.correa-velez@latrobe.edu.au
Johnston
Vanessa
V
Kirk
Joanne
J
Ferdinand
Angeline
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014739:Victoria