Qatar: migrant health guide
Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients from Qatar 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.
Determine any risk factors for hepatitis B infection that may indicate the need for screening. Qatar has a low prevalence.
Consider screening for hepatitis C, because Qatar has a considerably higher prevalence than the UK.
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 Qatar.
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 Qatar (<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 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
Qatar 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
Qatar 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
Hepatitis C
Qatar has a considerably 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 Qatar, so:
- ensure that travellers to Qatar 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 Qatar
Women’s health
Reproductive health indicators
| Reproductive health indicator | UK | Qatar |
|---|---|---|
| Children per woman¹ | 2 | 3 |
¹lifetime average
No data are available on:
- contraceptive use
- mammography screening rates
- cervical cancer screening rates
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 in pre-school children (estimated prevalence is 20 to 40%), in Qatar, 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)
Iodine
People from Qatar may be at risk of iodine induced hyperthyroidism due to excessive intake.
Country profile
Health indicators and health care
WHO Global Health Observatory has a summary of health indicators and health care in Qatar.
Culture, politics and history
BBC News and The World Factbook provide background information on the culture, politics and history of Qatar.
Languages
The main languages used in Qatar are:
- Arabic (official)
- English (commonly used as a second language)
Source: The World Factbook.
Religions
| Religion | Population (%)¹ |
|---|---|
| Muslim | 77.5 |
| Other² | 14 |
| Christian | 8.5 |
¹2004 est. ²includes mainly Hindu and other Indian religions
Source: The World Factbook.
Find out about language interpretation.
Migration to the UK
There were over 2,000 people from Qatar living in England and Wales at the time of the 2011 Census.
Source: Office for National Statistics © Crown Copyright 2014.
Updates to this page
Last updated 18 April 2016 + show all updates
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Updated advice on testing for TB and hep B, based on current prevalence in Qatar.
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First published.