Infectious diseases, and risk factors among refugees, people living in underserved neighbourhoods, migrant, and internally displaced populations: a systematic review
6 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), Thyolo, Malawi
- 3Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KuHES), Blantyre, Malawi
- 4Department of Pathology, School of Medicine and Oral Health, KuHES, Blantyre, Malawi
- 5Bwaila Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
- 6UNC Project, Lilongwe, Malawi
Abstract
Background and objectives: People living in overcrowded conditions, with limited access to healthcare face a myriad of challenges including infectious diseases. The burden of infections in underserved neighbourhoods, and in camps hosting displaced populations (Refugees and Internally displaced populations (IDPs)) is often overlooked. This systematic review evaluates the prevalence of infectious diseases among people living in underserved neighbourhoods (PLIUSN), refugees, and IDPs, to consolidate current evidence and provide baseline information for interventions.
Methods: This systematic review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO number CRD 42020193633). A systematic analysis of articles from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2022 was conducted and 4572 records were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and organizational websites (International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), The World Health Organization (WHO)). Title and abstract screening identified 276 articles for full text screening, and 69 articles were included for this review.
Results: Out of 142 infectious disease events reported, respiratory diseases were the most reported infections (39, 27.46%), followed by Hepatitis B (25, 17.41%), diarrhoeal diseases (20, 14.08%), parasitic diseases (19, 13.38%), and HIV (18, 12.68%). The remaining 28.73% (21) included other sexually transmitted diseases (excluding HIV), skin infections, Hepatitis E, and helminth infections. Refugees (54.79%, 40) and IDPs (20.55%, 15) had higher rates of infections compared to PLIUSN with 2.74% (2). The review identified four risk factors associated with the burden of infection: disease diagnosis, access/use of health services, living conditions and geographical location, and human factors.
Conclusion: These findings emphasize the risk of infectious diseases associated with PLIUSN and displaced populations. It also highlights associated risk among these populations; as such addressing these factors namely, access/utilization of health services, living conditions and geographical factors, and human factors is recommended.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w.
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BibTeX
@article{nyasulu2026infectious,
title = {{Infectious diseases, and risk factors among refugees, people living in underserved neighbourhoods, migrant, and internally displaced populations: a systematic review}},
author = {Fingani Annie Mphande Nyasulu and Edith Bridget Milanzi and Amos Kachipedzu and Shareef Ngunguni and Anastanzia Nancy Chisambo and Edna Ibrahim and Ndaziona Immaculate Majeza and Manley Kamija Msiska and Lyson Samikwa and Chisomo Lawrence Msefula},
journal = {BMC Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Infectious diseases, and risk factors among refugees, people living in underserved neighbourhoods, migrant, and internally displaced populations: a systematic review
AU - Fingani Annie Mphande Nyasulu
AU - Edith Bridget Milanzi
AU - Amos Kachipedzu
AU - Shareef Ngunguni
AU - Anastanzia Nancy Chisambo
AU - Edna Ibrahim
AU - Ndaziona Immaculate Majeza
AU - Manley Kamija Msiska
AU - Lyson Samikwa
AU - Chisomo Lawrence Msefula
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/11
JO - BMC Public Health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w
AB - Background and objectives: People living in overcrowded conditions, with limited access to healthcare face a myriad of challenges including infectious diseases. The burden of infections in underserved neighbourhoods, and in camps hosting displaced populations (Refugees and Internally displaced populations (IDPs)) is often overlooked. This systematic review evaluates the prevalence of infectious diseases among people living in underserved neighbourhoods (PLIUSN), refugees, and IDPs, to consolidate current evidence and provide baseline information for interventions. Methods: This systematic review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO number CRD 42020193633). A systematic analysis of articles from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2022 was conducted and 4572 records were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and organizational websites (International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), The World Health Organization (WHO)). Title and abstract screening identified 276 articles for full text screening, and 69 articles were included for this review. Results: Out of 142 infectious disease events reported, respiratory diseases were the most reported infections (39, 27.46%), followed by Hepatitis B (25, 17.41%), diarrhoeal diseases (20, 14.08%), parasitic diseases (19, 13.38%), and HIV (18, 12.68%). The remaining 28.73% (21) included other sexually transmitted diseases (excluding HIV), skin infections, Hepatitis E, and helminth infections. Refugees (54.79%, 40) and IDPs (20.55%, 15) had higher rates of infections compared to PLIUSN with 2.74% (2). The review identified four risk factors associated with the burden of infection: disease diagnosis, access/use of health services, living conditions and geographical location, and human factors. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the risk of infectious diseases associated with PLIUSN and displaced populations. It also highlights associated risk among these populations; as such addressing these factors namely, access/utilization of health services, living conditions and geographical factors, and human factors is recommended. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28476-w.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -