Guidance

Bahrain: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients from Bahrain for healthcare practitioners.

From:
Public Health England
Published
31 July 2014
Last updated
26 August 2021 — See all updates

Main messages

If the patient is new to the UK:

Consider screening for hepatitis B, particularly among those who have recently arrived. Bahrain has an intermediate prevalence.

There is a risk of typhoid infection in Bahrain.

Consider nutritional and metabolic concerns.

Infectious diseases

Immunisation

Ensure that all patients, especially children, are up-to-date with the UK immunisation schedule. See Immunisation collection with complete schedules.

Tuberculosis (TB)

There is a low incidence of TB in Bahrain (<40 cases per 100,000), so:

  • routine screening for TB is not required
  • consider testing in patients (including children) who show signs and symptoms
  • be aware that TB is a notifiable disease

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV

Take a sexual history, and:

  • screen for STIs and HIV according to risk as specified in the UK national standards and guidelines
  • test all sexually active patients under the age of 25 for chlamydia

Bahrain has a low rate of HIV (≤1%), so offer and recommend a HIV test if the patient:

  • falls into a high risk group
  • is newly registering in a high prevalence area

Hepatitis B

Bahrain has an intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B, so:

  • consider screening for hepatitis B, particularly those who have recently arrived
  • offer screening for hepatitis B to all pregnant women during each pregnancy
  • immunise appropriately babies born to mothers who are hepatitis B positive, and follow-up accordingly
  • be aware that the UK has a a universal infant immunisation programme for hepatitis B and a selective immunisation programme for higher risk groups

Hepatitis C

Bahrain has a higher prevalence of hepatitis C than the UK, so consider screening for hepatitis C if other risk factors apply.

Typhoid

There is a risk of typhoid infection in Bahrain, so:

  • ensure that travellers to Bahrain are offered typhoid immunisation and advice on prevention of enteric fever
  • remember enteric fever in the differential diagnosis of illness in patients with a recent history of travel to or from Bahrain

Travel plans and advice

Ask opportunistically about any travel plans the patient may have to visit friends and relatives in their country of origin. People who travel to visit friends and relatives (VFR travellers) should visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for overseas travel advice and National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) for country specific travel advice prior to leaving the UK.

Nutritional and metabolic concerns

Anaemia

There is a moderate risk of anaemia in adults (estimated prevalence in non-pregnant women is 20 to 40%) and pre-school children (estimated prevalence is 20 to 40%), so:

  • be alert to the possibility of anaemia in recently arrived migrants, particularly women and pre-school children
  • test as clinically indicated

Vitamin D

Consider the possibility of vitamin D deficiency in people who may be at risk due to:

  • darker skin
  • those who are not often outdoors
  • those who cover up most of their skin when outdoors

Iodine

People from Bahrain may be at risk of iodine induced hyperthyroidism due to excessive intake.

Women’s health

Reproductive health indicators

Reproductive health indicator UK Bahrain
Children per woman¹ 1.7 2
Use of contraception² 71.7% 61.8%

¹lifetime average; ²by woman of reproductive age or partner

No data are available on:

  • mammography screening rates
  • cervical cancer screening rates

Country profile

Health indicators and health care

WHO Global Health Observatory has a summary of health indicators and health care in Bahrain.

Culture, politics and history

BBC News and The World Factbook provide background information on the culture, politics and history of Bahrain.

Languages

The main languages used in Bahrain are:

  • English (official)
  • Farsi
  • Urdu

Source: The World Factbook

Religions

Religion Population (%)¹
Muslim 70.3
Christian 14.5
Hindu 9.8
Buddhist 2.5
Jewish 0.6
Folk religion* 0.1
Unaffiliated 1.9
Other 0.2

¹2010 est.

*Note: Folk religion population is less than 0.1%

Source: The World Factbook

Migration to the UK

There were almost 5,000 people from Bahrain living in the UK at the time of the 2011 Census.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Updates to this page

Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 26 August 2021 + show all updates

  1. Removed one line of outdated guidance.

  2. Updated prevalence of communicable diseases and other health topics.

  3. First published.

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