What Do We Know About the Health Status of Asylum Seekers in the United States? Identifying Research Gaps Following a Bibliometric Scoping Review of Existing Literature
Abstract Background: Asylum Seekers are a high-risk group from a health perspective. The US is the largest recipient of asylum applications in the world. Multiple articles exist on asylum seekers’ health, but, anecdotally, the majority originate from Europe and elsewhere. We sought to assess the current health and medical literature on asylum seekers in the US, where asylum seekers are a distinct population from refugees. This limited representation in the scientific literature can impact the care they receive. We analyzed the existing literature on asylum seekers in the US via a Scoping Review of the literature from 1946 to 2020 that discussed the health of asylum seekers in the US. Refugees were excluded given their legal status which distinguishes the protections they receive. Results: A total of 114 articles were identified; 48 (42.1%) of which were empirical studies; (66 (57.9%) were editorials or commentaries. Analysis of empirical studies revealed enhanced focus on mental health (60.42%), on African asylees (45.83%). The majority of the editorials and commentaries focused on detention and the medico-legal process (31.82% and 30.3% respectively). Conclusion: Empirical data on the health of asylum seekers in the US context is very limited. Research gaps include domains that span the medical, social, and legal fields. Research expansion requires increased dedication from the research community, funding, and the ethical engagement of these vulnerable populations. This is especially important given the unprecedented migration and displacement of populations in the 21st century.