ABSTRACT
Mental Health (MH) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are two aspects of migrant health that should be addressed and screened in primary care. These topics are inherently sensitive, often challenging and difficult to approach in routine consultations. Providing comprehensive care and management needs both knowledge and a careful approach, yet these factors may sometimes result in low screening of both health issues. Migration itself does not inherently lead to MH disorders. However, the various experiences encountered throughout the migration process can contribute to MH challenges. Migrants face the same issues as the rest of the population, but their expressions may differ. Therefore, it is important to understand the cultural contexts and create a supportive environment within healthcare to effectively address both MH and FGM. FGM is a serious health issue for girls and women that should be assessed in primary care. This includes prevention for at-risk girls, support and care for affected women and community initiatives. To engage with individuals from high-risk countries, both men and women is essential to facilitate change and help to end this harmful practice.
ABSTRACT
The care of migrant patients includes initial screening and lifelong monitoring, highlighting the importance of preventing and tracking chronic, communicable and non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity varies by ethnicity, influenced by genetic factors, lifestyle, and socio-economic status. Preventive measures, health promotion, and risk factor identification are crucial. Chronic communicable diseases may manifest years after transmission, underscoring the necessity of primary care screening, especially for populations from endemic or high-risk areas. Imported skin lesions are a common reason for consultation among migrant and traveller patients. Their ethiology is varied, ranging from common conditions such as scabies, mycoses, and urticaria to tropical dermatoses like filariasis and leprosy.
Subject(s)
Skin Diseases , Transients and Migrants , Humans , Chronic Disease , Skin Diseases/etiology , Noncommunicable Diseases/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: An epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) occurred in West Africa in 2014. In Catalonia, primary care is the first level of healthcare so it has a key role in the detection and initial management of possible cases of EVD and in identifying contacts. AIM: This study aimed to find out how the staff of primary care centers perceived the measures for dealing with EVD. METHOD: An online questionnaire was distributed to all primary care workers in Catalonia during the period February-March 2015. FINDINGS: The estimated response rate was 10.1%. They reported having received training/information, that a specific circuit had been organized and that the necessary equipment was available. They considered it unlikely that a patient with suspected EVD would present at the center and were aware of the action to take but were worried about this possibility. Rigorous scientific training in international health is essential to take on new global health challenges.