A Health Profile of Refugees in the Middle East

15 February 2012:

There has been an increase in refugees coming into the US from the Middle East in the past decade. Michigan accepts a considerable proportion of these refugees. One of the reasons is that Michigan has a significant number of residents of Arab descent. The refugees coming into this state are fleeing from war, persecution, or natural disasters, and due to this, their health and wellness becomes a major concern, especially as literature related to the health of these refugees is sparse. The goal of this study is to profile the health and disease status of refugees 18 years of age or older who attend a community-based clinic in Dearborn, Michigan. The clinic contains approximately 3,000 charts, of which 1,000 will be abstracted systematically. Demographic, health status, and health behavior information will be collected and entered into a Microsoft Access database. Percent, frequencies, and associations will be examined. The findings will help inform prevention and intervention programs to reduce disease and promote health in this population. In addition, the data collected will facilitate the provision of health care services.