Introduction: The number of migrants living in Europe is growing rapidly. The PROTECT project is a national study conducted among refugees and migrants in the Lazio region, Italy from February 2018 to September 2021 to evaluate their otolaryngological, dental, and ophthalmic health status. This article reports the results of this study with a special focus on otolaryngological conditions and diseases. Materials and methods: A total of 3023 participants were included in the project. Data on the participants’ demographic factors, migration status, and otolaryngological history were collected using a questionnaire. Each patient underwent clinical ear, nose, and throat examination, and the main otolaryngological conditions and diseases were noted. Results: nearly two-thirds of participants were males (68.1%). The mean age was 31.6 ± 13.1. Most of the participants were born in Nigeria, followed by Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Mali, and Gambia. The prevalence of chronic noise exposure was 5.2%. Unilateral hearing loss was reported by 6.5% of the subjects, and bilateral hearing loss by 3.6%. The most frequent symptoms reported in the questionnaire were snoring (10.4%), nasal obstruction (5.9%), vertigo (5.0%), otalgia (4.5%), and tinnitus (4.2%). At the clinical examination, the most frequent findings were nasal septum deviation (25.2%), ear wax (6.5%), hypertrophic palatine tonsils (5.3%), and tympanic membrane perforation (1.3%). Conclusions: the PROTECT project allowed for the evaluation of otolaryngological, dental, and ophthalmological conditions in over 3000 migrants, giving them the possibility to access specialist care.

Otolaryngology conditions and diseases in migrants: the experience of the PROTECT project / Ralli, Massimo; Colizza, Andrea; Russo, FRANCESCA YOSHIE; Palaia, Gaspare; Angeletti, Diletta; Bruscolini, Alice; Marinelli, Alessia; Bossu', Maurizio; Ottolenghi, Livia; Vincentiis, De; Greco, Antonio; Polimeni, Antonella. - In: APPLIED SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3417. - 13:4(2023). [10.3390/app13042104]

Otolaryngology conditions and diseases in migrants: the experience of the PROTECT project

Massimo Ralli
Primo
;
Andrea Colizza
Secondo
;
Francesca Russo;Gaspare Palaia;Diletta Angeletti;Alice Bruscolini;Alessia Marinelli;Maurizio Bossù;Livia Ottolenghi;de Vincentiis;Antonio Greco
Penultimo
;
Antonella Polimeni
Ultimo
2023

Abstract

Introduction: The number of migrants living in Europe is growing rapidly. The PROTECT project is a national study conducted among refugees and migrants in the Lazio region, Italy from February 2018 to September 2021 to evaluate their otolaryngological, dental, and ophthalmic health status. This article reports the results of this study with a special focus on otolaryngological conditions and diseases. Materials and methods: A total of 3023 participants were included in the project. Data on the participants’ demographic factors, migration status, and otolaryngological history were collected using a questionnaire. Each patient underwent clinical ear, nose, and throat examination, and the main otolaryngological conditions and diseases were noted. Results: nearly two-thirds of participants were males (68.1%). The mean age was 31.6 ± 13.1. Most of the participants were born in Nigeria, followed by Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Mali, and Gambia. The prevalence of chronic noise exposure was 5.2%. Unilateral hearing loss was reported by 6.5% of the subjects, and bilateral hearing loss by 3.6%. The most frequent symptoms reported in the questionnaire were snoring (10.4%), nasal obstruction (5.9%), vertigo (5.0%), otalgia (4.5%), and tinnitus (4.2%). At the clinical examination, the most frequent findings were nasal septum deviation (25.2%), ear wax (6.5%), hypertrophic palatine tonsils (5.3%), and tympanic membrane perforation (1.3%). Conclusions: the PROTECT project allowed for the evaluation of otolaryngological, dental, and ophthalmological conditions in over 3000 migrants, giving them the possibility to access specialist care.
2023
migrants; vulnerability; hospitality; otolaryngology; screening; inclusion
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Otolaryngology conditions and diseases in migrants: the experience of the PROTECT project / Ralli, Massimo; Colizza, Andrea; Russo, FRANCESCA YOSHIE; Palaia, Gaspare; Angeletti, Diletta; Bruscolini, Alice; Marinelli, Alessia; Bossu', Maurizio; Ottolenghi, Livia; Vincentiis, De; Greco, Antonio; Polimeni, Antonella. - In: APPLIED SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3417. - 13:4(2023). [10.3390/app13042104]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1668296
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