scholarly journals COVID-19: Marking the Gaps in Migrant and Refugee Health in Some Massive Migration Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12639
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Matlin ◽  
Ozge Karadag ◽  
Claudio R. Brando ◽  
Pedro Góis ◽  
Selma Karabey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Health Food ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Mass Migration ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Political Security

The health of migrants and refugees, which has long been a cause for concern, has come under greatly increased pressure in the last decade. Against a background where the world has witnessed the largest numbers of migrants in history, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has stretched the capacities of countries and of aid, health and relief organizations, from global to local levels, to meet the human rights and pressing needs of migrants and refugees for access to health care and to public health measures needed to protect them from the pandemic. The overview in this article of the situation in examples of middle-income countries that have hosted mass migration in recent years has drawn on information from summaries presented in an M8 Alliance Expert Meeting, from peer-reviewed literature and from reports from international agencies concerned with the status and health of migrants and refugees. The multi-factor approach developed here draws on perspectives from structural factors (including rights, governance, policies and practices), health determinants (including economic, environmental, social and political, as well as migration itself as a determinant) and the human security framework (defined as “freedom from want and fear and freedom to live in dignity” and incorporating the interactive dimensions of health, food, environmental, economic, personal, community and political security). These integrate as a multi-component ‘ecological perspective’ to examine the legal status, health rights and access to health care and other services of migrants and refugees, to mark gap areas and to consider the implications for improving health security both for them and for the communities in countries in which they reside or through which they transit.

scholarly journals Health mediator model as a way to access to care and health information for Syrian refugees in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Kayi ◽  
Z Şimşek2 ◽  
G Yıldırımkaya
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The City

Abstract The number of Syrian refugees residing in Turkey has increased over 200 times since 2012 reaching to 3,621,330 (April 2019). Turkey has granted temporary protection status, including access healthcare in the city of registration. Ministry of Health provides on-site health service in temporary shelters, however more than 90% of the Syrian refugees choose to stay in community settings, which along with language barriers limits their ability to access health care and information. With UNFPA we have designed a health mediator model to improve access to health care and awareness on priority concerns such as mental health, reproductive health, child health, health system in Turkey and legal status provided to Syrian refugees. This study is a participatory operational research to test the health mediator model. Operationalization took place in 3 phases: (1) selection and training of Syrian health mediators and provincial coordinators; (2) household visits and data collection; (3) evaluation and supervision. So far, we have trained 174 health mediators from 24 different Turkish cities. Training took 5 days with up to 30 participants each. UNFPA collaborated with NGOs that work with Syrian refugees for coordination purposes. Health mediators made household visits to reach out to Syrian families, gave health education and where necessary support for access to health care services, and conducted a needs assessment. Data collected has been the subject to weekly supervision meetings by local NGOs, health mediators and coordinators to set priorities for the upcoming week. Health mediator model was effective in reaching out to hard-to-reach groups among Syrian refugees, increased health system and legal awareness, contribute to improved healthcare access and prevention of negative health outcomes such as teenage marriages and pregnancies. Inclusion of refugees in decision-making and guidance during the implementation of the project was key for project success.

scholarly journals HEALTH UNDER OCCUPATION Counter Strategies and Resistance Tactics of Palestinians and the Health System in the State of Palestine

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigge Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
The State ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The Impact

The impact of occupation on health and access to health care is a significant issue for the state, health sector and citizens of Palestine, who struggle with difficulties related to an enduring sociopolitical stalemate. The study presents narratives from the field, conceptually exploring if and how occupation affects health and access to health care and how the situation is tackled by Palestinians in general and by health system actors specifically. A grounded theory approach analyzing in-depth interviews with health staff and field memos was used, with semi-quantification of emerging concepts through surveys of Hebron students that assessed health-related quality of life and health literacy with psychometric instruments (SF36 and GSE) and assumed health determinants. One key theme in the data analysis was isolation as a result of multiple barriers, including the wall and checkpoints, imprisonment and violence, which have an impact on determinants of health and quality of life in Palestine. In the survey 54% (n=90) were affected by such factors of occupation. Barriers affect access to health care, especially in rural areas. Mentally and materially breaking free from barriers of occupation seems to be a common task in all levels of Palestinian society. Achieving this goal requires different counter strategies and tactics. Presently, Palestine depends on ad hoc coping strategies, including the use of mobile clinics. Other ways to cope emerged in the data as well. Results from this mixed-methods study suggest that isolation is a main concern for Palestinians, resulting from barriers in policies of occupation that affect health and access to health care. Another concept emerging from the analysis was tactics and strategies against occupation in society.

scholarly journals Evidence on access to health care information by women of reproductive age in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries: Scoping Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Twahafifwa Shatilwe ◽  
Desmond Kuupiel ◽  
Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Health Care Information ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Healthcare Information ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Care Information

Abstract Background Majority of women of reproductive age in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) are not able to access health services due to different factors. The main objective of this scoping review is to map the literature on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in LMICs. Methods The literature search was conducted through the following databases: Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, MEDLINE with full text, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO), Emerald, Embase, published and peer reviewed journals, organizational projects, reference list, grey literature as well as reports related to this objective were included in the study. Studies reporting evidence on interventions aimed at enabling access to health care information in LMICs published during the period 2004 to until recent, were eligible for inclusion. Identified key words were used to search articles from the databases. Following title screening, two reviewers independently reviewed the abstracts and full articles. Inclusion and exclusion criteria was considered to guide the screening. Results A total of 451 900 articles were identified from all the databases searched. Of these, four articles meet inclusion criteria after full article screening and were included for data extraction. The included articles were conducted in the following countries: Eastern Uganda, Gauteng, South Africa, Myanmar and Nepal. The themes that emerged from our study are as follows: accessibility, financial accessibility/affordability, connectivity and challenges. This study demonstrated that, there are minimal interventions that enable women of reproductive age to access healthcare information in terms of accessibility, financial accessibility and connectivity. The study further revealed that with the minimal strategies tried, such as telemedicine and text messages, a large population of women could be reached and this strategies are less cost. Conclusion The findings of the study revealed poor access and utilization of maternal healthcare information by women of reproductive age. We therefore recommend primary studies in other LMICs to determine the accessibility, financial accessibility, connectivity and challenges faced by women of reproductive age in LMICs to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rate and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Rights to Specialized Health Care in Norway: A Normative Perspective

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 641-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ole Frithjof Norheim
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Specialized Health Care ◽  
Right To Information ◽  
The Right

Is it possible to use the courts - or rights instruments - to advance fair access to health care? This article examines this question within the context of the Norwegian public health care system - one special example of the Scandinavian welfare system. In particular, it asks four basic questions: What are the normative justifications for rights to health care? What were the political processes and concerns leading up to the current Patients Rights Act in Norway? What kind of legal status do these rights have? How can rights to access be implemented?Patient rights do not only concern the right to access to health care; they also include the right to information, the right to participate in decision-making, and informed consent. This article examines only the former aspect, the use of the legal system to secure access to prioritized specialized health care services.

Access as a policy-relevant concept in low- and middle-income countries

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
DI MCINTYRE ◽  
MICHAEL THIEDE ◽  
STEPHEN BIRCH
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Care Systems

Abstract:Although access to health care is frequently identified as a goal for health care policy, the precise meaning of access to health care often remains unclear. We present a conceptual framework that defines access to health care as theempowermentof an individual to use health care and as a multidimensional concept based on the interaction (or degree of fit) between health care systems and individuals, households, and communities. Three dimensions of access are identified: availability, affordability, and acceptability, through which access can be evaluated directly instead of focusing on utilisation of care as a proxy for access. We present the case for the comprehensive evaluation of health care systems as well as the dimensions of access, and the factors underlying each dimension. Such systemic analyses can inform policy-makers about the ‘fit’ between needs for health care and receipt of care, and provide the basis for developing policies that promote improvements in the empowerment to use care.

scholarly journals Health determinants among refugees in Austria and Germany: A propensity-matched comparative study for Syrian, Afghan, and Iraqi refugees

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250821
Author(s):  
Daniela Georges ◽  
Isabella Buber-Ennser ◽  
Bernhard Rengs ◽  
Judith Kohlenberger ◽  
Gabriele Doblhammer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Access To Health

In recent years, Germany and Austria have been among the leading European receiving countries for asylum seekers and refugees (AS&R). The two countries have cultural and economic similarities, but differ, for example, in their health care systems, with AS&R having unrestricted access to health services upon arrival in Austria, but not in Germany. This study investigates the determinants of health among refugees in Austria and Germany, and how these determinants differ between the two countries. We analyze comparable and harmonized survey data from both countries for Syrian, Afghan, and Iraqi nationals aged 18 to 59 years who had immigrated between 2013 and 2016 (Germany: n = 2,854; Austria: n = 374). The study adopts a cross-sectional design, and uses propensity score matching to examine comparable AS&R in the two receiving countries. The results reveal that the AS&R in Germany (72%) were significantly less likely to report being in (very) good health than their peers in Austria (89%). Age and education had large impacts on health, whereas the effects of length of stay and length of asylum process were smaller. Compositional differences in terms of age, sex, nationality, education, and partnership situation explained the country differences only in part. After applying propensity score matching to adjust for structural differences and to assess non-confounded country effects, the probability of reporting (very) good health was still 12 percentage points lower in Germany than in Austria. We conclude that many of the determinants of health among AS&R correspond to those in the non-migrant population, and thus call for the implementation of similar health policies. The health disadvantage found among the AS&R in Germany suggests that removing their initially restricted access to health care may improve their health.

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