Descriptive analysis of hospital discharges of migrant and Chilean children in a pediatric hospital in Chile

Abstract

Background: Chile has faced an increase in the migratory flow in recent years. This migration has had repercussions over all social policy issues, especially health. Children and adolescents, sons and daughters of migrants represent a new issue for both primary and hospital healthcare devices. Objective: To describe the complexity and severity of cases and events related to this pediatric population and to identify the health problems associated with their hospitalization. Material and Method: Review the systematic information of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) of the years 2016-2017, and its association with social and territorial factors. Results: The complexity and severity of the hospitalization events of migrant children’s or son/ daughters of migrants measured with DRG were higher than those of the Chilean children. This association was especially evident in Haitians related. Health problems that caused hospitalization were infectious diseases and domestic accidents in an 80% globally. Conclusion: The health problems of migrant children or sons/daughters of migrants and their complexity are directly related to their socio-economic health determinants. Public health policies should be linked to those from other sectors, especially in areas such as housing, employment and broad inclusion policies that will reduce the health gaps of the child and adolescent migrant population.