Natalia Skogberg's presentation about the national development project TERTTU, which aims to develop the health examination protoco for asylum seekers in Finland.

1. 29.5.2018 1
Developing the health examination
protocol for asylum seekers in Finland
A national development project (TERTTU)
Skogberg N, Tiittala P, Koponen P, Snellman O, Helve O, Räisänen P, Castaneda A
EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg

2. Asylum seekers are entitled to acute and
necessary healthcare in Finland
• Voluntary initial health examination upon arrival:
– Assessment of overall health and wellbeing
– Screening for infectious diseases + vaccinations
– Assessment of service needs
– Identification of vulnerable populations (victims of torture, severe trauma,
human trafficing, sexual minorities disabled, elderly)
• Physican assessment for vulnerable groups (incl. pregnant
women, disabled individuals, elderly and children)
• Pregnant women are entitled to maternity clinic services
• Children entitled to same healthcare as permanent residents
29.5.2018 EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg 2
Supported by The European Union, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (Amif)

3. EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg 3
Developing the health examination protocol for
newly arrived asylum seekers (TERTTU)
2017-2019
To gather representative
information on the health of
newly-arrived asylum seekers
To develop the current health
examination protocol
To develop unified practices accross
reception centers
Aims
2018
Gathering systematic
health examination data
2019
Developing the health
examination protocol
2017
Planning data collection,
exploring possibilities of EHR
data analysis
29.5.2018

4. National electronic health records (EHR)
• EHR introduced 2014, used by all reception centres by 2016
• EHR used by reception centres not compatible with EHR
used in public/private health sector
• Record linkage challenging
Register analysis, reception centres EHR data 1/2015-12/2016:
• 65% participated in health information session, 42% in health examination;
missing recordings for either of these for 19%
• Systematic coding of visits missing for 60% of the recordings
• EHR data analysis may be biased due to unexpected influx of asylum
seekers in 2015 + EHR used uniformly in reception centres only by 2016
29.5.2018 EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg 4
Supported by The European Union, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (Amif)

5. Systematic data collection on the health and
wellbeing of asylum seekers (TERTTU Study)
• Random sample: target sample is 1000 adults and children
from the asylum seeker reception register (Umarek)
• Target group: newly arrived asylum seekers
• Face-to-face interview and brief health examination, 1,5h
conducted by bilingual trained research nurses (+interpreter)
• Record linkage with reception centre EHR
• Possibilities of record linkage with national registers for those
who receive a permanent residence (approx. 30% of all who
have applied) will be explored
• The initial health examination for asylum seekers will be
developed based on the main findings of the study
29.5.2018 EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg 5
Supported by The European Union, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (Amif)

6. Thank you
29.5.2018 EPH 2017/ Natalia Skogberg 6
Supported by The European Union, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (Amif)