Table 5 Characteristics of included publications by disease type: Other Non-Communicable Diseases

Amini (2010) [98]

Iran

EMRO

Cross- sectional

Iranian war victims blinded in both eyes

2007

250 conference attendees

Quality of Life (QOL) scores in blind war victims decreased with increasing age and additional medical comorbidities

Armenian (1998) [83]

Armenia

European

Prospective, nested case–control

Survivors of the 1988 Earthquake in Armenia

1988–1992

35,043 employees of the Armenian Ministry of Health and their immediate families

During a 4-year follow-up period, the highest number of deaths from all causes (including heart disease) occurred within the first 6 months following the earthquake; associated with extent of disaster-related damage and losses

Chan (2010) [99]

Pakistan

EMRO

Cross sectional

Face-to-face, household-based survey conducted 4 months after the 2005 Kashmir, Pakistan earthquake in internally displaced camps near Muzafarabad city

February 2006

4 months post-earthquake

167 households

Although the proportion of the population with chronic conditions was similar across these studied camps, 85% of residents in the smallest unofficial camp had no available drugs to manage their chronic medical conditions as compared with their counterparts residing in larger rural unofficial (40%) and official camps (25%)

Chan (2009) [92]

Pakistan

EMRO

Comparative descriptive study

Patients ≥ 45 years who attended two different types of post-earthquake relief clinics during a 17-day field health needs assessment in response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake

February 2006

4 months post-earthquake

30,000 patients in a rural site, and 382 IDPs in a urban site

The greatest gap in health services post-earthquake in both sites was non-communicable disease management. Clinical records reviewed in all study locations showed a systematic absence of documentation of common NCDs. In rural areas, older women were less likely to receive medical services while older men were less likely to access psychological services in both sites. During days when solely male doctors provided clinical services in the rural site, medical services utilization decreased by 30%

Hung (2013) [42]

China

Western Pacific

Cross-sectional chart review

Patients presenting during a 19 day period three weeks following the Sichuan earthquake

Jun-08

2,034 patients

Musculoskeletal, respiratory, and GI systems were top 3 problems and > 43% of patients met hypertension criteria

Khateri (2003) [100]

Iran

EMRO

Cross-sectional retrospective survey

Patients exposed to chemical weapons in Iran during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988)

1997–2000

34,000 subjects

Lesions of the lungs (42.5%), eyes (39.3%), and skin (24.5%) were the most common sites of involvement among mustard agent exposure survivors

Leeuw (2014) [101]

Country of Asylum: Jordan, Lebanon

Country of Origin: Syria

EMRO

Cross-sectional survey

Syrian refugee households in Jordan and Lebanon

2013

3,202 refugees

Impairments found in 22% of refugees and disproportionately affecting those over 60 years of age (70% with at least 1 impairment)

Li (2011) [102]

China

Western Pacific

Cross-sectional survey

Adults exposed to severe famine in utero or as children

2002

7,874 adults

Adults exposed to severe famine while in utero or early childhood had increased risk of metabolic syndrome

Mateen (2012) [31]

Country of Asylum: Jordan

Country of Origin: Iraq

EMRO

Prospective observational

Iraqi refugees seeking health care in Jordan

2010

7642 patients

Chronic diseases like hypertension (22%) and diabetes (11%) were common and the most common reason for visit was respiratory illness (11%)

Mateen (2012) [103]

19 countries

Africa, EMRO, South East Asia

Retrospective chart review

Refugees in camp settings globally

2008–2011

58,598 visits

Chronic, noncommunicable diseases like epilepsy and cerebrovascular disease far exceeded (> 98%) those for neurologic infectious diseases

McKenzie (2015) [62]

Country of Asylum:Jordan

Country of Origin: Syria, Iraq

EMRO

Retrospective cohort

Syrian & Iraqi refugees applying for emergency or exceptional medical care

2012–2013

223 refugees

Neuropsychiatric applications accounted for 11% of all Exceptional Care Committee applications and 2/3 of neuropsychiatric cases were for emergency care

Otoukesh (2012) [51]

Country of Asylum: Iran

Country of Origin: Afghanistan

EMRO

Cross-sectional

Afghan refugees in Iran

2005–2010

23,152 refugees

The most common health referral for those aged 15–59 years was ophthalmic diseases in females and nephropathies in males. In those aged 60 + it was ophthalmic diseases for both sexes

Redwood-Campbell (2006) [77]

Indonesia

South East Asia

Prospective observational

Patients registering in the ICRC field hospital in Banda Aceh 9 weeks after the tsunami

Mar-05

271 patients

12% of clinic visits were directly related to the tsunami. The most common medical complaints were urological (19%), digestive (16%), respiratory (12%), and musculoskeletal (12%). 24% of patients had 4 or more depression/PTSD symptoms

Sibai (2001) [52]

Lebanon

EMRO

Cross-sectional

Representative cohort of men and women completing a health survey in Beirut, Lebanon during wartime

1983–1993

1567 subjects

Total mortality rates were estimated at 33.7 and 25.2/1000 person years among men and women respectively. Leading cause of death was circulatory disease (60%) and cancer (15%) for both sexes

Strong (2015) [53]

Country of Asylum: Lebanon

Country of Origin: Syria, Palestine

EMRO

Cross Sectional

Refugees over age 60 receiving assistance from social workers

2011–2013

210 refugees

Most older refugees reported at least one non-communicable disease: hypertension (60%), diabetes (47%), heart disease (30%). 74% indicated at least some dependency on humanitarian assistance