Iran: migrant health guide
Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients from Iran for healthcare practitioners.
Main messages
If the patient is new to the UK:
- explain to them how the NHS works
- discuss how this compares to the healthcare system they’ve been used to
Ensure that all patients are up-to-date with the UK immunisation schedule.
Ascertain any risk factors for hepatitis B infection that may indicate the need for screening, because Iran has a low prevalence.
Ask opportunistically about any travel plans the patient may have to visit friends and relatives in their country of origin, and see National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), or the Health Protection Scotland websites (TRAVAX and fitfortravel, for travel advice.
There is a risk of malaria in some areas of Iran.
There is a risk of typhoid infection in Iran.
Consider nutritional and metabolic concerns.
Find out more about children’s health.
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 Iran (<40 cases/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
Iran 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
- be advised that national guidelines do not recommend routine consideration of HIV testing of infants and children who have recently arrived in the UK
Hepatitis B
Iran has a low prevalence of hepatitis B, so:
- 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 universal infant immunisation programme for hepatitis B and a selective immunisation programme for higher risk groups
Travel plans and advice
Ask opportunistically about any travel plans the patient may have to visit friends and relatives in their country of origin, and see National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), or the Health Protection Scotland websites (TRAVAX and fitfortravel, for travel advice.
Malaria
There is a risk of malaria in some areas of Iran, mainly due to due to P. falciparum and P. vivax., so:
- test any unwell patient who has travelled to-and-from affected areas of Somalia in the last year
- remember that malaria can be rapidly fatal
Typhoid
There is a risk of typhoid infection in Iran, so:
- ensure that travellers to Iran 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 Iran
Helminths
There is a risk of helminth infections in Iran, including soil transmitted helminthiasis.
Women’s health
Reproductive health indicators
| Reproductive health indicator | UK | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Number of children per woman¹ | 2 | 2 |
| Use of contraception² | 82% | 73.8% |
¹lifetime average
No data is available on:
- mammography screening rates
- cervical cancer screening rates
Find out more about women’s health.
Nutritional and metabolic concerns
Vitamin D
Consider the possibility of vitamin D deficiency in people who may be at risk due to:
- covering their body for cultural or religious reasons (lack of sunlight)
- skin colour
- diet (vegan or vegetarian)
Country profile
Health indicators and health care
WHO Global Health Observatory has a summary of health indicators and healthcare in Iran.
Culture, politics and history
BBC News and The World Factbook provide background information on the culture, politics and history of Iran.
Languages
| Language | Population (%) |
|---|---|
| Persian (official) | 53 |
| Azeri Turkic & Turkic dialects | 18 |
| Kurdish | 10 |
| Gilaki and Mazandarani | 7 |
| Luri | 2 |
| Balochi | 8 |
| Arabic | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
Source: The World Factbook
Find out about language interpretation.
Religions
| Religion | Population (%)¹ |
|---|---|
| Muslim (official)² | 99.4 |
| Other³ | 0.3 |
| Unspecified | 0.4 |
¹2010 est.²Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%); ³includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian
Source: The World Factbook
Migration to the UK
At the time of the 2011 census, there were almost 82,000 people from Iran living in England and Wales. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Updates to this page
Last updated 28 June 2017 + show all updates
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Updated and made editorial changes to meet GOV.UK style.
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First published.