The medical assessment of migrants: Current limitations and future potential

Attempts to control the importation of infectious diseases through the medi cal screening and evaluation of immigrants and refugees represent the moder n application of some of the earliest recorded public health interventions. States with long-standing immigration programmes continue to require the me dical examination and screening of migrants for certain diseases. In some i nstances, the public health. effectiveness of these immigration medical ass essments is of questionable value when considered from a population health basis. This article reviews current practices and describes recent studies where m ore modern and epidemiologically based immigration medical interventions ha ve been undertaken. A more effective immigration medical assessment process is proposed through the use of results of this more empirical approach to immigration medical screening.