Health monitoring of the migrant population in Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany: experiences, implications, and perspectives.

Aim: To describe the benefits and restrictions that emerged in health monitoring of the Northrhine-Westphalian migrant population.

Methods: Analysis of official register data, description and classification of benefits and restrictions, and systematic derivation of implications of general validity.

Results: The comparison of the native German and migrant populations revealed which health relevant fields with specific problems require political intervention and further research.