Characterization of the consultations of the adult migrant population in a public emergency service in the northern area of Santiago Chile in 2018

Abstract

International migration is increasing steadily worldwide. In Chile 4.4% of its population are migrants. Worldwide, emergency rooms are chosen by migrants to solve health problems. Characterize the adult migrant population treated in a public emergency service of the Santiago metropolitan region during 2018. Through simple descriptive statistics, the center's database is analyzed, keeping in mind ethical aspects. 13.72% of the total consultations were migrants. Of these 95.3% resided in localities assigned to the hospital; they are granted between the ages of 20 and 44 and came mainly from: Peru, Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia and Bolivia. 10.67% does not hold health coverage. Most consultations (62.33%) have a mild prognosis. The diagnoses of Chileans and foreigners within the age group of 20 to 44 years old coincide in a different order, however, migrants most frequently present respiratory, digestive and infectious / parasitic diseases. Migrant consultations reflect mild to moderate health conditions typical of healthy people, being able to talk about the "healthy migrant effect". As the diagnoses between Chileans and foreigners coincide in the age group and socioeconomic level, it can be said that they have a similar health condition. Due to most of the migrant consultations were categorized with less severity, have a mild prognosis, lower hospitalization rates and their main destination is domicile, there is evidence that they use the emergency service as the first option facing health problems.