Refugee Health Profiles

This information helps clinicians, public health providers, and resettlement agencies facilitate medical screening, and determine appropriate interventions and services for individuals of a specific refugee group. Each profile is a comprehensive resource describing the demographic, cultural, and health characteristics of specific population. This knowledge may help providers approach a refugee with an improved understanding of where they come from, circumstances of their displacement, living conditions during asylum, and health conditions for which they may be at increased risk.

The refugee health profiles linked from this page provide key health and cultural information about specific refugee groups resettling in the United States. Information is from the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.S. Department of State, scientific research, and many other sources. CDC updates current profiles as new information becomes available. Additional profiles are in development.

Each profile covers some of these topics:

  • Priority Health Conditions
  • Background
  • Population Movements
  • Healthcare and Conditions Before Arrival
  • Medical Screening of U.S.-bound Refugees
  • Post-arrival Medical Screening
  • Health Information

Newcomer Infographics

The Colorado Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health, supported by the CDC Centers for Excellence in Newcomer Health, produced a series of infographics detailing demographic and health information for select newcomer groups arriving to the United States. These infographics use domestic medical screening data collected by network partners across the United States, and are intended as a resource for clinicians and others supporting newly arriving newcomer groups.