Guidance

Saint Kitts and Nevis: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients from Saint Kitts and Nevis for healthcare practitioners.

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

Main messages

If the patient is new to the UK:

Due to a low prevalence, ascertain any risk factors for hepatitis B infection that may indicate the need for screening.

There is a risk of typhoid infection.

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

There is a low incidence of TB in Saint Kitts and Nevis (<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 and HIV

Take other risk factors into consideration when assessing likely health needs relating to HIV and STIs (no data are available on HIV prevalence in Saint Kitts and Nevis).

Hepatitis B

Saint Kitts and Nevis 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 a universal infant immunisation programme for hepatitis B and a selective immunisation programme for higher risk groups

Hepatitis C

Saint Kitts and Nevis 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 Saint Kitts and Nevis, so:

  • ensure that travellers to Saint Kitts and Nevis 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 Saint Kitts and Nevis

Helminths

There is a risk of soil transmitted helminth infections.

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

Vitamin A

There may be a risk of vitamin A deficiency in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Women’s health

Reproductive health indicators

Reproductive health indicator UK Saint Kitts and Nevis
Number of children per woman¹ 1.7 2.1
Use of contraception² 71.7% 40.6%

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

Country profile

Health indicators and health care

WHO Global Health Observatory has a summary of health indicators and health care in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Culture, politics and history

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

Languages

The main language used in Saint Kitts and Nevis is English.

Source: The World Factbook.

Religions

Religion Population (%)
Protestant¹ 74.4
Roman Catholic 6.7
Rastafarian 1.7
Jehovah’s Witness 1.3
Other 7.6
None 5.2
Unspecified 3.2

¹includes Anglican 20.6%, Methodist 19.1%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Church of God 6.8%, Moravian 5.5%, Baptist 4.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.7%, Evangelical 2.6%, Bretheren 1.8%, other 0.3%

Source: The World Factbook.

Migration to the UK

There were almost 6,000 people from Saint Kitts and Nevis living in England and Wales at the time of the 2011 Census.

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Updates to this page

Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 23 September 2021 + show all updates

  1. Updated country guidance on prevalence of communicable diseases and other health topics.

  2. First published.

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