Prevalence of tuberculosis, COVID-19, chronic conditions and vulnerabilities among migrants and refugees: an electronic survey / Prevalência de tuberculose, COVID-19, condições crônicas e vulnerabilidades entre migrantes e refugiados: inquérito eletrônico / Prevalencia de tuberculosis, COVID-19, condiciones crónicas y vulnerabilidades en inmigrantes y refugiados: encuesta electrónica

Abstract Objective: to analyze the prevalence of tuberculosis, coronavirus, chronic conditions and vulnerabilities among migrants and refugees in Brazil. Method: this is a cross-sectional study of the electronic survey type conducted with international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics was applied for the analysis, with calculation of position and dispersion measures. Regarding the categorical variables, relative and absolute frequencies were estimated. Results: the study participants were 553 migrants and refugees, verifying 3.07%, 7.2% and 27.3% prevalence of tuberculosis, COVID-19 and chronic conditions, respectively. Among the vulnerabilities, 32% reported unemployment, 37.6% moved to Brazil as a result of the social situation in their countries and 33.6% were living as refugees or sheltered people. Conclusion: tuberculosis, chronic diseases and COVID-19 presented higher prevalence values in migrants and refugees than in the general population. As this is a population group that still has significant difficulty accessing health services and social protection systems, based on diverse evidence, the study will subsidize public policies, Nursing care and the incorporation of new routines in the service.

Resumo Objetivo: analisar a prevalência de tuberculose, coronavírus, condições crônicas e vulnerabilidades entre migrantes e refugiados no Brasil. Método: trata-se de estudo transversal, do tipo inquérito eletrônico, realizado com migrantes internacionais durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Para a análise, aplicou-se estatística descritiva, com cálculo de medidas de posição e de dispersão. Quanto às variáveis categóricas, estimaram-se as frequências relativas e absolutas. Resultados: participaram do estudo 553 migrantes e refugiados, verificando-se prevalência de 3,07% de tuberculose, 7,2% de COVID-19 e 27,3% de condições crônicas. Entre as vulnerabilidades, 32% referiram desemprego, 37,6% mudaram para o Brasil em decorrência da situação social do seu país e 33,6% residiam em asilo e ou abrigo. Conclusão: a tuberculose, as doenças crônicas e a COVID-19 apresentaram maior prevalência em migrantes e refugiados que na população em geral. Por tratar-se de uma população ainda com grande dificuldade de acesso aos serviços de saúde e aos sistemas de proteção social, o estudo subsidiará, com base em evidências, as políticas públicas, o atendimento do enfermeiro e a incorporação de novas rotinas no serviço.

Resumen Objetivo: analizar la prevalencia de tuberculosis, coronavirus, condiciones crónicas y vulnerabilidades en inmigrantes y refugiados en Brasil. Método: se trata de un estudio transversal, del tipo encuesta electrónica, realizado con migrantes internacionales durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Para el análisis se aplicó estadística descriptiva, con cálculo de medidas de posición y dispersión. En cuanto a las variables categóricas, se estimaron las frecuencias relativas y absolutas. Resultados: participaron del estudio 553 inmigrantes y refugiados, la prevalencia de tuberculosis era del 3,07%, de COVID-19 del 7,2% y de condiciones crónicas del 27,3%. Entre las vulnerabilidades, el 32% reportó desempleo, el 37,6% emigró a Brasil por la situación social de su país y el 33,6% vivía en un asilo o albergue. Conclusión: la tuberculosis, las enfermedades crónicas y el COVID-19 fueron más prevalentes en inmigrantes y refugiados que en la población general. Por tratarse de una población que aún tiene grandes dificultades para acceder a los servicios de salud y sistemas de protección social, el estudio contribuirá, con base en la evidencia, a las políticas públicas, la atención de enfermería y la incorporación de nuevas rutinas en el servicio.

Prevalence of tuberculosis, COVID-19, chronic conditions and vulnerabilities among migrants and refugees: an electronic survey.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the prevalence of tuberculosis, coronavirus, chronic conditions and vulnerabilities among migrants and refugees in Brazil. METHOD: this is a cross-sectional study of the electronic survey type conducted with international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics was applied for the analysis, with calculation of position and dispersion measures. Regarding the categorical variables, relative and absolute frequencies were estimated. RESULTS: the study participants were 553 migrants and refugees, verifying 3.07%, 7.2% and 27.3% prevalence of tuberculosis, COVID-19 and chronic conditions, respectively. Among the vulnerabilities, 32% reported unemployment, 37.6% moved to Brazil as a result of the social situation in their countries and 33.6% were living as refugees or sheltered people. CONCLUSION: tuberculosis, chronic diseases and COVID-19 presented higher prevalence values in migrants and refugees than in the general population. As this is a population group that still has significant difficulty accessing health services and social protection systems, based on diverse evidence, the study will subsidize public policies, Nursing care and the incorporation of new routines in the service.

Factors associated with latent tuberculosis among international migrants in Brazil: a cross-sectional study (2020).

BACKGROUND: Migrants are a high priority group for TB control measures due to their high exposure to risk factors such as poverty and social vulnerability. The study aimed to identify factors associated with latent TB among international migrants living in four Brazilian state capitals. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in September and October 2020 in a sample of 903 international migrants living in four Brazilian state capitals: Boa Vista/RR (458), Manaus/AM (136), São Paulo/SP (257), and Curitiba/PR (52). Data were collected with a questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions on personal characteristics, information on TB, and use of preventive measures. Tuberculin skin test (TST) was performed, with reading after 72 h by trained nurses and using 5 mm induration as the positive cutoff. Chi-square test (X2) and Fisher's exact test, both two-tailed, were used to compare statistically significant levels of association between the migrants´ sociodemographic characteristics, vulnerability, and latent TB infection (LTBI). Binary logistic regression was applied to calculate odds ratios and respective 95% confidence intervals. For all the tests, type I error of 5% was defined as statistically significant (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Prevalence of LTBI among migrants was 46.1% in Manaus/AM, 33.3% in São Paulo/SP, 28.1% in Curitiba/PR, and 23.5% in Boa Vista/RR. Factors associated with latent infection were age, male gender, and brown or indigenous race. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed high prevalence of latent TB among international migrants.