Insights on the health of migrants in a reception center in Italy

This study explores the health conditions of migrants hosted at the CARA Sant’Anna (a first reception center of the Italian official reception system), located in Crotone, in the south of Italy, in the period 2013 and 2018. The Sant’Anna Center has been the largest reception center in Europe for many years, with a declared capacity of 883 hosts. Using administrative data, collected during the registration at the center, and linking them with health reports filled by the center’s officers, the analysis aims to describe the main characteristics of individuals who experienced health problems during their stay. Particular attention is given to the timing and reasons for exit from the center, in order to better understand how health issues intersect with the broader dynamics of the reception pathway. Descriptive analyses are used to outline patterns of morbidity and differences by gender, age, family composition and country of origin. By providing insights from one of the main Italian reception centers, the study seeks to inform broader reflection on the health of migrants in the early stages of arrival and settlement, a phase often marked by uncertainty and limited access to health services. So, the results contribute to shedding light on the specific health vulnerabilities of migrants.