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Immigrant and Refugee Health

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Central American Refugee Health Profile

Tension, fear, and uncertainty that can be triggered by chronic violence have lasting effects on physical and psychological health. Chronic distress, mental health conditions, hypertension, and depressed immune system can all stem from exposure to protracted violence25. Additionally, fear and concerns regarding crime often deters people from using healthcare and other critical services, which are largely concentrated in urban areas and difficult to access for rural populations16, 26.

This section describes health conditions, with a focus on infectious diseases, for which Central American children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are at significant risk. Where applicable and available, screening or pre-departure interventions are described.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Immigrant Toolkit, Section on Clinical Care reviews diseases and conditions that are prevalent in immigrant populations. The AAP Immigrant Toolkit also provides medical screening and treatment recommendations for immigrants and refugees from resource-poor areas of developing countries, including countries in Central America27. For more information please see AAP.

References

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