Recorded presentation

Olga Sarmiento, MD MPH PhD, Department of Social Medicine & Centro de Estudios e Información en Salud, School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes and Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota, Calle 119 # 9-32, Bogota, Colombia, 57 (1) 6 19 02 80, osarmien@uniandes.edu.co, Fernando De la Hoz, MD PhD, Programa Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Salud, Colciencias, Transversal 9A Bis No 132-28, Bogotá, Colombia, and Heidy Caceres, MD, pfizer, Avenida El Dorado No. 68B-85, Bogotá, Colombia.

Background: Over two-million Colombians, half of which are children and adolescents, have been forcibly displaced from their communities due to the armed conflict. These populations mostly arrive to settings where non-displaced low-income populations live. However, the extent to which health status, health care access and health risk behaviors among displaced adolescents differ from non-displaced low-income adolescents living in the same environment has not been evaluated. Methods: A cross-section population-based health survey was conducted in the year 2002, in three cities of Colombia, including 414 displaced and 403 non-displaced low-income adolescents (age:12-17yrs). Results: Displaced adolescents were less likely to be currently at school compared to low-income adolescents (64.9% vs. 76.5%;p=<0.01). In contrast, displaced adolescents were more likely to have insurance than low-income adolescents (63.5% vs. 51.7%; p=<0.01). No significant differences, regarding health status and risky behaviors, excepting dermatological infections, were apparent between displaced and low-income adolescents. Displaced adolescents were more likely to report pyodermitis than low-income adolescents (18.3 vs. 7.9; p=<0.01). Overall, 10% reported having had diarrhea, 49% reported having had respiratory infections, and 20% reported symptoms related to sexually transmitted diseases within the last 15 days. Thirty-one percent suffer malnutrition. Fifteen-percent of females reported having been pregnant, but 38% of them did not receive prenatal care. Nine-percent of adolescents reported having consumed tobacco, 9% reported getting drunk during the last month and 2% reported having consumed drugs. Conclusions: Differences and similarities between displaced and low-income adolescents should be taking into account when developing programs to improve their health status.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to characterize the populations of displaced and non-displaced low-income adolescents from the Colombian cities of Cartagena, Cali, Montería y Soacha.
• Attendees will be able to apply the findings of this study when developing strategies to improve health status of displaced and low-income adolescents living in Colombia.
• Through this presentation attendees will learn the socio-demographic factors, health status and risky behaviors among adolescents who have been victims of the Colombian armed conflict.

Keywords: Refugees, Adolescents, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation