MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN APPLICANTS FOR ASYLUM FROM SRI-LANKA

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 115  (2) , 59-62
Abstract
Recently many refugees from Sri Lanka have arrived in Europe. The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the subjective complaints and diagnoses in these refugees. Refugees (97 males, 3 females, age 19-42 yr) were investigated. The most common reasons for consulting a general internist were cough (23%), general pain in soft tissue and joints (21%), disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (19%) and ear or throat complaints (15%). In 43% of the patients no diagnosis could be established. Of 58 patients investigated for parasites in stool, 57% had hookworms, 12 a nonpathogenic protozoon, 9% Entamoeba histolytica cysts and 2% Giardia lamblia. In 12% of the patients the diagnosis was tonsillitis or pharyngitis; in 7% bronchitis, pneumonia or asthma; and in 5% arterial hypertension. Various other diagnoses were established in 48 patients. With the exception of the high frequency of intestinal parasites, complaints and diagnoses in these refugees were the same as in a comparable European population.

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