Migrants Versus Homeless Population in Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Facilities Suffering from Ectoparasites-Scabies is not a Medical but Social Problem

Abstract

Background Long term Rehabilitation, Chronic Care, Palliative Dept. Physiotherapy Units accumulate elderly debilitated polymorbide sometimes homeless patients and hypomobile individuals with different levels of personal hygiene. Ectoparasites increase suffering from long term care and social services. Patients and Methods The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of scabies among different types of hypomobile  and vulnerable populations and compare homeless and elderly to refugees and migrants containing of hypermobile and wounded populations. Results Among 22 homeless elderly, Group A; 42 homeless non-elderly high threshold Group B; 55 hypermobile migrants visiting a Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Center, scabies was massively present in Group C. Among the first two Groups, Homeless A and Homeless B was rare. Increasing personal hygiene in stationary versus mobile Units, better Social Services and hygiene for homeless versus migrants, may be responsible for these unexpected findings. Conclusion Scabies has to be considered as the commonest ectoparasite followed by louse and mice among physiotherapy and rehabilitation dependent hypomobile elderly homeless clients. However, its incidence among homeless in CEE among migrants via the Balkan Route is incomparably low.