Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37852766›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2023

Changing landscape of paediatric refugee health in South Western Sydney, Australia: a retrospective observational study.

Lahiru Amarasena, Karen Zwi, Nan Hu, Raghu Lingam, Shanti Raman

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

5 authors.

Lahiru AmarasenaSchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5660-547X
Karen ZwiSchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Nan HuDiscipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Raghu LingamSchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Shanti RamanSchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Shanti.Raman@health.nsw.gov.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo examine the changing health needs of refugee children and young people (CYP) entering Australia, in relation to key government policy changes. STUDY

designRetrospective analysis of health service use data over 11 years.

settingPaediatric refugee clinics in South Western Sydney (SWS), the Australian region with the largest annual resettlement of refugees.

participantsRefugee CYP (≤25 years) attending the SWS paediatric refugee clinics for their first visit between 2009 and 2019. MEASURES: Clinician defined health conditions categorised as communicable and non-communicable disease (NCD).

resultsData were analysed for 359 CYP, mean age 9.3 years; 212 male (59.1%). Most CYP (n=331, 92.2%) had health problems identified; 292 (81.3%) had ≥1 NCD and 24 (6.7%) had ≥1 communicable disease. The most frequent individual NCDs were dental disease (n=128, 35.7%) and vitamin D deficiency (n=72, 20.1%). Trend analysis showed increased odds of identifying an NCD from 2013 onwards (crude OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.96). Neurodevelopmental problems, especially Global Developmental Delay (n=31, 8.6%), emerged as more prevalent issues in the latter half of the decade. There were significantly increased odds of identifying a neurodevelopmental problem in 2016-2019, especially in 2016-2017 (adjusted OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.34 to 6.40). Key policy changes during this period included acceptance of refugees with disabilities from 2012, additional Australian Humanitarian Programme intake from the Eastern Mediterranean region and mandatory offshore processing for those seeking asylum by boat from 2013. In response to the changing needs, local health services adopted nurse-led primary healthcare screening, early childhood services, youth and disability clinics.

conclusionsRefugee CYP in Australia are presenting with a growing burden of NCDs, with neurodevelopmental problems contributing. Government policy changes affect the sociodemographics of resettled populations, influencing health profiles. Paediatric refugee health services need to be responsive to the changing needs of these populations to optimise well-being.

Indexed as

Noncommunicable DiseasesRefugeesAdolescentAmbulatory Care FacilitiesAustraliaChildChild, PreschoolHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesChild & adolescent psychiatryChild protectionCommunity child healthDevelopmental neurology & neurodisabilityHealth policyPUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID37852766
PMCPMC10603544

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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.