Guidance

Oman: migrant health guide

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

From:
Public Health England
Published
31 July 2014
Last updated
8 April 2016 — See all updates

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.

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

Ask 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.

Be advised that there is a risk of typhoid infection in Oman.

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.

Tuberculosis (TB)

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

  • routine screening 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 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

Oman has a low rate of HIV (≤1%), so:

  • offer and recommend an 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

Oman 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 universal infant immunisation programme for hepatitis B and a selective immunisation programme for higher risk groups

Hepatitis C

Oman has a higher prevalence of hepatitis C than the UK, so consider screening for hepatitis C.

Travel plans and advice

Ask 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.

Typhoid

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

  • ensure that travellers to Oman 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 Oman

Women’s health

Reproductive health indicators

Reproductive health indicator UK Oman
Children per woman¹ 2 3

¹lifetime average

No data are available on:

  • contraceptive use
  • mammography screening rates
  • cervical cancer screening rates

Female genital mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has occasionally been documented in Oman.


Find out more about women’s health.

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 a high risk in pre-school children (estimated prevalence is >40%), in Oman, 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:

  • covering their body for cultural or religious reasons (lack of sunlight)
  • skin colour
  • diet (vegan or vegetarian)

Vitamin A

There is a high risk of vitamin A deficiency in Oman.

Iodine

People from Oman may be at risk of mild iodine deficiency due to inadequate intake.

Country profile

Health indicators and health care

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

Culture, politics and history

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

Languages

The main languages used in Oman are:

  • Arabic (official)
  • English
  • Baluchi
  • Urdu
  • Indian dialects

Source: The World Factbook.


Find out about language interpretation.

Religions

Religion Population (%)
Muslim¹ 85.9
Christian 6.5
Hindu 5.5
Other 1
Buddhist 0.8
Unaffiliated 0.2
Jewish 0.1

¹official; majority are Ibadhi, fewer Sunni and Shia

Source: The World Factbook.

Migration to the UK

There were almost 3,000 people from Oman living in England and Wales at the time of the 2011 Census.

Source: Office for National Statistics © Crown Copyright 2014

Updates to this page

Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 8 April 2016 + show all updates

  1. Updated advice on risk of helminths, based on current prevalence in Oman.

  2. First published.

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