Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35017249›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Health conditions of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers on search and rescue vessels on the central Mediterranean Sea, 2016-2019: a retrospective analysis.

Elburg van Boetzelaer, Adolphe Fotso, Ilina Angelova, Geke Huisman, Trygve Thorson, Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, Ronald Kremer, Anna Kuehne

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Elburg van BoetzelaerPublic Health Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1168-8491
Adolphe FotsoMedical Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Tripoli, Libya.
Ilina AngelovaMedical Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Tripoli, Libya.
Geke HuismanMedical Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Tripoli, Libya.
Trygve ThorsonPublic Health Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hassiba Hadj-SahraouiPublic Health Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ronald KremerPublic Health Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anna KuehnePublic Health Department, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Berlin, Germany anna.kuehne@london.msf.org.ORCID 0000-0002-8578-0362
Médecins Sans Frontières · NLUniversity of Tripoli · LYMédecins Sans Frontières‎ · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study will contribute to the systematic epidemiological description of morbidities among migrants, refugees and asylum seekers when crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

settingSince 2015, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) has conducted search and rescue activities on the Mediterranean Sea to save lives, provide medical services, to witness and to speak out.

participantsBetween November 2016 and December 2019, MSF rescued 22 966 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We conducted retrospective data analysis of data collected between January 2016 and December 2019 as part of routine monitoring of the MSF's healthcare services for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers on two search and rescue vessels.

resultsMSF conducted 12 438 outpatient consultations and 853 sexual and reproductive health consultations (24.9% of female population, 853/3420) and documented 287 consultations for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The most frequently diagnosed health conditions among children aged 5 years or older and adults were skin conditions (30.6%, 5475/17 869), motion sickness (28.6%, 5116/17 869), headache (15.4%, 2 748/17 869) and acute injuries (5.7%, 1013/17 869). Of acute injuries, 44.7% were non-violence-related injuries (453/1013), 30.1% were fuel burns (297/1013) and 25.4% were violence-related injuries (257/1013).

conclusionThe limited testing and diagnostics capacity of the outpatient department, space limitations, stigma and the generally short length of stay of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers on the ships have likely led to an underestimation of morbidities, including mental health conditions and SGBV. The main diagnoses on board were directly related to journey on land and sea and stay in Libya. We conclude that this population may be relatively young and healthy but displays significant journey-related illnesses and includes migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who have suffered significant violence during their transit and need urgent access to essential services and protection in a place of safety on land.

Indexed as

RefugeesTransients and MigrantsAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMediterranean SeaRescue WorkRetrospective Studiesepidemiologypublic health

Identifiers

PMID35017249
PMCPMC8753406
OpenAlexW4206323805

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.