TY  - JOUR
A1  - Müller, Frank
A1  - Hummers, Eva
A1  - Hillermann, Nele
A1  - Dopfer, Christian
A1  - Jablonka, Alexandra
A1  - Friede, Tim
A1  - Simmenroth, Anne
A1  - Wetzke, Martin
T1  - Factors influencing the frequency of airway infections in underage refugees: a retrospective, cross sectional study
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
N2  - Background: Infections are a leading cause of refugee morbidity. Recent data on the rate of airway infections and factors influencing their spread in refugee reception centers is scarce. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study of de-identified medical records with a focus on respiratory infections in underage refugees was conducted at two large German refugee reception centers. Results: In total, medical data from n = 10,431 refugees over an observational period of n = 819 days was analyzed. Among pediatric patients (n = 4289), 55.3% presented at least once to the on-site medical ward with an acute respiratory infection or signs thereof. In 38.4% of pediatric consultations, acute airway infections or signs thereof were present. Airway infections spiked during colder months and were significantly more prevalent amongst preschool and resettled children. Their frequency displayed a positive correlation with the number of refugees housed at the reception centers. Conclusions: We show that respiratory infections are a leading cause for morbidity in young refugees and that their rate is influenced age, season, status, and residential density. This illustrates the need to protect refugee children from contracting airway infections which may also reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the current pandemic.
KW  - refugees
KW  - migrants
KW  - respiratory infection
KW  - children
KW  - adolescents
KW  - seasonality
KW  - crowded housing
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - containment
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-213134
SN  - 1660-4601
VL  - 17
IS  - 18
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Müller, Frank
A1  - Chandra, Shivani
A1  - Furaijat, Ghefar
A1  - Kruse, Stefan
A1  - Waligorski, Alexandra
A1  - Simmenroth, Anne
A1  - Kleinert, Evelyn
T1  - A digital communication assistance tool (DCAT) to obtain medical history from foreign-language patients: development and pilot testing in a primary health care center for refugees
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
N2  - Background: Language barriers play a critical role in the treatment of migrant and refugee patients. In Germany, primary care interpreters are often not available especially in rural areas or if patients demand spontaneous or urgent consultations. Methods: In order to enable patients and their physicians to communicate effectively about the current illness history, we developed a digital communication assistance tool (DCAT) for 19 different languages and dialects. This paper reports the multidisciplinary process of the conceptual design and the iterative development of this cross-cultural user-centered application in an action-oriented approach. Results: We piloted our app with 36 refugee patients prior to a clinical study and used the results for further development. The acceptance and usability of the app by patients was high. Conclusion: Using digital tools for overcoming language barriers can be a feasible approach when providing health care to foreign-language patients.
KW  - language barriers
KW  - app
KW  - interpreter
KW  - primary care
KW  - medical history taking
KW  - refugee
KW  - culturally and linguistically diverse patients
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200640
SN  - 1660-4601
VL  - 17
IS  - 4
ER  -