HONOLULU, April 16 (UPI) -- A high number of Iraqi refugees -- some victims of torture and some disabled -- are affected by brain and nervous system disorders, U.S. researchers suggest.
Dr. Farrah Mateen of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, a member of the American Academy of Neurology, says researchers used a U.N. database in Jordan that reported there were 36,953 registered Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers with 7,621 receiving health assistance in 2010.
A total of 1,295 refugees were reported to have a brain or nervous system disorder, or 4 percent of all registered Iraqi refugees and of those -- 10 percent were disabled.
In addition, the study found 5 percent of refugees with brain or nervous system disorders reported a history of torture, compared to 3.1 percent of those without a diagnosed brain or nervous system disorder.
"Our study highlights the great need for neurological health services, health education regarding neurological disorders and long-term disease management for refugees from war-torn countries," Mateen says in a statement. "There are an estimated 40 million displaced refugees worldwide and the number of Iraqi refugees continues to grow due to conflicts in the Middle East."
The research was presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Honolulu.
