Guidance

Slovenia: migrant health guide

Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients from Slovenia for healthcare practitioners.

From:
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Published
31 July 2014
Last updated
10 February 2023 — 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.

Be alert for possible cases of Chagas disease, and refer as appropriate, because there is a risk of chronic Chagas disease in migrants.

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 (<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

There is 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

Hepatitis B

There is 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

The prevalence of hepatitis C is similar to or lower than the UK, so ascertain any risk factors for HCV infection that may indicate the need for screening.

Typhoid

There is a risk of typhoid infection, so:

  • ensure that travellers 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 this country

Chagas

There is a risk of chronic Chagas disease in migrants, so:

  • be alert for possible cases
  • refer as appropriate

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 a high risk in pre-school children (estimated prevalence is >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

Women’s health

Reproductive health indicators

Reproductive health indicator UK Slovenia
Number of children per woman (lifetime average) 1.6 1.6
Use of contraception by woman of reproductive age or partner 71.7% 50.2%

Country profile

Health indicators and healthcare

WHO Global Health Observatory has a summary of health indicators and healthcare in Slovenia.

Culture, politics and history

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

Languages

Language Population (%)
Slovene (official) 91.1
Serbo-Croatian 4.5
Other or unspecified 4.4

Italian (official) is only used in municipalities where Italian national communities reside) and Hungarian (official) is only used in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside.

Source: The World Factbook.

Religions

Religion Population (%)
Catholic 57.8
Muslim 2.4
Orthodox 2.3
Other Christian 0.9
Unaffiliated 3.5
Other or unspecified 23
None 10.1

Source: The World Factbook.

Migration to the UK

There were over 2,000 people from Slovenia living in England and Wales at the time of the 2011 Census.

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 10 February 2023 + show all updates

  1. Updated women's reproductive health indicators data.

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

  3. First published.

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