This cohort of recently arrived refugees in Syracuse, New York showed a notable burden of undiagnosed non-communicable diseases, including hypertension and hyperglycemia in the prediabetic/diabetic ranges, with associations between cardiometabolic measures and BMI, age, and gender.
Key Findings
Results
The study cohort of 529 recently arrived adult refugees was predominantly young and slightly more female, and came mainly from the Eastern Mediterranean, African, and Americas regions.
Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of health screening data collected between May 2023 and March 2025 in Syracuse, New York.
Participants were 55.8% female, and 69.8% were between 18 and 44 years old.
Eastern Mediterranean region accounted for 39.3% (Somalia 14.2%, Syria 13.2%).
African region accounted for 36.1% (Democratic Republic of Congo 17.8%); region of the Americas accounted for 12.5% (Venezuela 7.0%).
Conclusions
The refugee cohort showed a notable burden of undiagnosed non-communicable diseases, including hypertension-range blood pressure and prediabetic/diabetic-range glucose.
Screenings were conducted within the first few months of arrival and offered to refugees aged 18 and older.
Outcomes were blood pressure measurements in the hypertensive range and point-of-care capillary glucose values in the prediabetic and diabetic ranges.
The authors conclude that NCDs are underrecognized compared with routinely screened communicable diseases.
Results
Elevated heart rate was associated with glucose values in the diabetic range and with gender.
Associations between cardiometabolic measures (blood glucose, blood pressure, heart rate) and demographic and clinical characteristics were explored.
Specific effect sizes and p-values are not given in the abstract.
Results
Glucose values in the diabetic range were associated with blood pressure and age.
Association was identified in exploratory analyses of the screening data.
Specific effect sizes and p-values are not given in the abstract.
Results
Blood pressure was associated with age, gender, and BMI.
The authors describe these as statistically significant associations between cardiometabolic risk factors (increased BMI, age, gender) and chronic disease.
Specific effect sizes and p-values are not given in the abstract.
Conclusions
The authors conclude that the findings underscore the need for continued interventions to improve access to and uptake of preventive health services for refugees.
The study examined how a community-based health screening program informs current U.S. refugee screening practices.
Lifetime adverse events contributing to chronic stress are noted as further increasing cardiovascular disease risk in refugees.
What This Means
This study looked at health screening results for 529 adult refugees who recently arrived in Syracuse, New York, between 2023 and 2025. Most were young adults, and they came mainly from the Middle East and East Africa region, Africa, and Latin America. Screenings in the first few months after arrival checked blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate.
The researchers found a notable amount of previously undiagnosed high blood pressure and high blood sugar in the prediabetic or diabetic range. Higher blood pressure was linked with older age, gender, and higher BMI. Blood sugar in the diabetic range was linked with blood pressure and age, and a faster heart rate was linked with diabetic-range blood sugar and gender.
This research suggests that screening refugees only for infectious diseases may miss common chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Community-based screening programs may help catch these conditions early, and the authors call for more support to help refugees access preventive health care. Because this was a cross-sectional study, it shows associations rather than cause and effect.
Wu E, Searles M, Taiwo I, Campagna C, Kuroda M, Shaw A. (2026). Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Burden among Recently Arrived Refugees in Syracuse, New York.. Annals of global health. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.5247