Describes the health status of refugee children from Vietnam, the republics of the former Soviet Union, and Africa who were examined in a clinic in Buffalo, New York. The study involved a retrospective review of the medical records of about 100 pediatric patients between 1 and 18 years of age. The records revealed that: (1) about 30 percent of the children had physical conditions that required follow-up care or referral to a medical or surgical specialist; (2) more than 50 percent of those children tested for Hepatitis B surface antibody had evidence of previous hepatitis infection or were current carriers; and (3) more than 40 percent of the children needed dental care. Other key findings showed that children from Vietnam were at significant risk for Hepatitis B, those from Africa and Vietnam often had intestinal parasites, and across all 3 groups of refugee children tuberculosis was common. The health status of refugee minors may require greater use of health care resources, and some of the conditions represent public health concerns. Therefore, screening these children on the basis of the most likely serious conditions will both maximize the health of the children and ensure the well being of new communities.
