BACKGROUND: Hidalgo County, Texas is home to a United States Census population of over 842,000 (US Census Bureau, 2015). However, this number has previously been estimated to be over 1 million residents when undocumented populations are accounted for. Hidalgo County facilitates active binational transit through its 6 international ports of entry, encompassing 5 bridges and 1 ferry. During the summer of 2014, Hidalgo County experienced an influx of immigrants entering its border. This created the need for post-detainment shelter operations by a local faith-based organization, and subsequently, the need for a health assessment of the incoming population to determine the current risk status of infectious disease.
METHODS: This health assessment was conducted by: 1) the creation of a data collection form for the review and assessment of the shelter patients; 2) the assessment of shelter patients by south Texas clinicians and medical providers within the mobile clinic; 3) the compilation of data from these health records into a central dataset; 4) the implementation of data analyses from the health record dataset to determine potential infectious disease risks of the incoming population.
RESULTS: During the summer of 2014, a total of 309 medical records were reviewed. This medical record review took place between June 27, 2014 and August 12, 2014. Demographical information, clinical findings, and treatment plans were recorded within the health record. Of these 309 patients, the median age was 12 years. The country of origin included Honduras with 132 (42.7%) patients, El Salvador with 84 (27.2%) patients, Guatemala with 81 (26.2%) patients, and Other with 9 (2.9%) patients. Of the 309 health records reviewed, 53 (19.1%) had fever and 51 (16.5%) had rash. However, only 12 (3.9%) had both fever and rash. The median temperature of the patients reviewed was 97.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The median travel from country of origin to Hidalgo County, Texas ranged from 1 day to 150 days, with a median travel of 15 days.
CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced local surveillance enabled the assessment of a migrating population entering Hidalgo County, Texas. This surveillance identified no significant proportions of risk in infectious disease activity. Instead, this surveillance activity identified other non-infectious health concerns, such as dehydration, malnutrition, and insect bites. Through this surveillance response, Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department was able to better identify the current needs and risks affecting both the new migrating population and also its effects on its local community and population.