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Access to healthcare among Southeast Asian migrants in Taiwan is a pressing concern. Once migrants fall ill, they are at risk of losing jobs and even jeopardizing their legal status to work and stay. While existing studies have shed light on migrants' experiences of alienation in healthcare, there has been limited attention given to the role of migrant activists in negotiating and mobilizing concepts of health. In this article, I examine how activists mediate migrants' access to health resources. As migrant organizations step in to care for migrants, they render migrants' bodies legible and admissible by guiding them through the healthcare system. I suggest that activists wield the power to govern by shaping the ideals of a healthy and morally responsible migrant. Their authority to care also hinges upon crafting narratives of collective wellness that foreground the interdependent relationship between citizens and migrants, elevating migrants' health into vital projects of governance. Through a critical analysis of discourse and praxis around migrant care, my intention is not only to challenge the narrow focus on migrants' physical wellbeing but also to cast light on the affects of mediating care and how it shapes meanings and values attributed to migrants' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing hunger for migration in Nigeria. The urgency and desperation to emigrate without a clear path and adequate information about the host country can be disastrous for migrants after arrival in the host country. Most intending migrants have untrue, exaggerated views of life in the West, leading to discrepancies between pre-migration expectations and post-migration experiences. Discrepancies between expectation and reality may affect migrants’ life satisfaction, regret and overall well-being in the host country. This study investigated expectation–reality discrepancy among Nigerian migrants in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), two major destination countries for Nigerian migrants. The study documented different aspects where Nigerian migrants experience discrepancies between pre-migration expectations and post-migration reality. I showed how Nigerian migrants deal with the initial disappointment. Data were drawn from the qualitative study of the author's PhD research, comprising 31 interviews (17 from the US and 14 from the UK) and migrants’ responses to two Instagram posts on expectation–reality discrepancies. Data were organised and analysed thematically using NVivo (version 12). The study found that 21 participants reported negative expectation–reality discrepancies across four major aspects: finance/occupational mobility, health, aesthetics and sociality. Comments on the social media posts supported these areas of discrepancies. Nigerian migrants reacted to each of the aspects of discrepancies in a unique way. Notable differences were observed between participants’ experiences in the US and UK. The study argued that migrants’ comparison of home and host countries shaped their expression of expectation–reality discrepancy and subsequent reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have highlighted specific views on ageing among older migrants in Europe that tend to be outdated or more pessimistic than the general population. However, the current literature does not provide explanations for such observations. This mixed methods study considers the diffusion of innovation among older migrants as a possible explanatory factor. A critical component of the diffusion of innovation theory is how information is accessed, exchanged, and communicated through social contacts. This study employs the fundamental mathematical model of diffusion to examine the differential effects of diffusion of innovation based on the social contact rates among migrant groups compared to the overall UK population. As there is no direct information on social contact rates among migrants in the UK, the analysis uses the equivalence from the migrants' home countries as proxies. This study utilises social matrices of contact data for the UK based on publicly available information from a European survey and other publications for the contact rate for three sending countries where there are large migrant groups in the UK and Europe (India, Pakistan and Turkey). The analysis shows that, when controlling for other factors, migrants are likely to suffer considerable delays in the diffusion of innovations compared to the majority UK population. The findings have several policy implications concerning promoting inclusive public health and disease prevention interventions, which are essential components of a sustainable healthcare system for an increasingly diverse UK older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undocumented immigrants (UIs) have been reported to suffer from the unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccination, but this inequality has never been quantified, and the associated factors have not been measured. We interviewed 190 municipal offices throughout Japan about the access to COVID-19 vaccination for UIs and control group foreigners. Using logistic regression, we investigated the association between assured access and municipal characteristics. Out of the respondent municipalities, 57.5% answered that UIs can apply for a COVID-19 vaccination voucher. Additionally, 31.5% said they had received an inquiry about vaccines from UI individuals. Furthermore, only 23.2% of the municipalities responded that they had issued vouchers for UIs at least once. The control groups were reported to have been given more access to vouchers. Logistic regression showed that the foreign resident ratio, tertiary industry, and university graduation ratio were positively associated with vaccination access. This study revealed for the first time that UIs are disproportionately marginalized compared with other visitors, implying that "illegality" plays an important role in the context of vaccination eligibility. The street-level vaccination desks of local governments may refuse to supply vaccines. Vaccine equity will be more readily achievable when vaccination access to all populations including UIs is ensured. Such access will also improve overall public health by increasing the vaccination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in Russia published from 2004 to 2019 in Russian and English languages were included in the review. Despite significant limitations of the available research literature in the field, some patterns in migrants’ health in Russia and issues that need to be addressed were identified. In particular, the syndemic epidemics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, additively increasing negative health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases and chronic digestive system diseases, high rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, respiratory diseases and a growing percentage of new tuberculosis cases among migrants from the former Soviet Union countries are all of great concern. Possibly, the burden of these co-occurring morbidities is linked to commonly reported issues among this population group, such as poor nutrition and living conditions, high prevalence of unskilled manual labour, non-compliance with sanitary norms, lack of basic vaccinations, lack of basic knowledge about safe sexual practices and risky sexual behaviour, low healthcare seeking behaviour and limited access to health care. Importantly, these findings may urge the government to increase efforts and promote international collaboration in combating the threat of infectious diseases. Additionally, it was found that migrants had higher levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and those who stayed in the receiving country 5 years or more had a higher level of somatic pathology than those whose stay was less than 5 years. In order to ensure an adequate health system response and fulfil the main Universal Health Coverage principle of “leaving no one behind”, a robust monitoring system of the health status of refugees and migrants and an integrated legal framework for the standardized and more inclusive routine care for this population in Russia is urgently needed.

The paper focuses on the concept of cultural competence and has as the main purpose to explore: a) the perception and representation of Italian midwives regarding the reproductive health and the childbirth cultures of immigrant women; b) strengths and weaknesses of their professional practices. Twenty midwives were interviewed. Data were analyzed using the grounded theory procedures of categorization and codification, integrated with template analysis. Findings highlighted eight thematic areas showing the presence of difficulties related to the relationships and communication between foreign patients and medical staff. The results also revealed the widespread belief that maternity, childbirth, and breastfeeding have a "universal grammar" linked to the female body and reproductive function can lead to an underestimation of the need for culturally competent services; on the other hands, an ideal-typical contrast appears in the participants' discourse between an apparently egalitarian position of the same service for everyone and a desire for differentiated attention to diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in Russia published from 2004 to 2019 in Russian and English languages were included in the review. Despite significant limitations of the available research literature in the field, some patterns in migrants' health in Russia and issues that need to be addressed were identified. In particular, the syndemic epidemics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, additively increasing negative health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases and chronic digestive system diseases, high rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, respiratory diseases and a growing percentage of new tuberculosis cases among migrants from the former Soviet Union countries are all of great concern. Possibly, the burden of these co-occurring morbidities is linked to commonly reported issues among this population group, such as poor nutrition and living conditions, high prevalence of unskilled manual labour, non-compliance with sanitary norms, lack of basic vaccinations, lack of basic knowledge about safe sexual practices and risky sexual behaviour, low healthcare seeking behaviour and limited access to health care. Importantly, these findings may urge the government to increase efforts and promote international collaboration in combating the threat of infectious diseases. Additionally, it was found that migrants had higher levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and those who stayed in the receiving country 5 years or more had a higher level of somatic pathology than those whose stay was less than 5 years. In order to ensure an adequate health system response and fulfil the main Universal Health Coverage principle of "leaving no one behind", a robust monitoring system of the health status of refugees and migrants and an integrated legal framework for the standardized and more inclusive routine care for this population in Russia is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2013 until March 2014 to explore the existence of inequalities in access to and utilization of health services by migrants compared to non-migrants in Greece and to test the influence of various factors on these disparities. Also, we investigated the influence of several socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Study population included 1,152 migrants and 702 non-migrants. Migrants, participants suffering from a chronic disease, those without health insurance, and patients who assessed their health status as not at all good/a little good/moderate were statistically more likely to report unmet needs in getting their medication. Uninsured participants, females, those unemployed or without a permanent occupational status, and those who assessed their health status as not at all good/a little good/moderate were statistically more likely to report unmet needs in access to health services during the last year. Regarding the use of health services, those with health coverage, non-migrants, and females were statistically more likely to go for a blood test as a hospital outpatient. Greece, despite administrative delays and barriers, provided full coverage to the uninsured, asylum seekers, and migrants, even many groups of undocumented migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background With an increasing migrant population globally the need to organize interpreting service arises in emergency healthcare to deliver equitable high-quality care. The aims of this study were to describe interpretation practices in multilingual emergency health service institutions and to explore the impact of the organizational and institutional context and possible consequences of different approaches to interpretation. No previous studies on these issues in multilingual emergency care have been found. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was used. Forty-six healthcare professionals were purposively recruited from different organizational levels in ambulance service and psychiatric and somatic emergency care units. Data were collected between December 2014 and April 2015 through focus-group and individual interviews, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results Organization of interpreters was based on patients’ health status, context of emergency care, and access to interpreter service. Differences existed between workplaces regarding the use of interpreters: in somatic emergency care bilingual healthcare staff and family members were used to a limited extent; in psychiatric emergency care the norm was to use professional interpreters on the spot; and in ambulance service persons available at the time, e.g. family and friends were used. Similarities were found in: procuring a professional interpreter, mainly based on informal workplace routines, sometimes on formal guidelines and national laws, but knowledge of existing laws was limited; the ideal was a linguistically competent interpreter with a professional attitude, and organizational aspects such as appropriate time, technical and social environment; and wishes for development of better procedures for prompt access to professional interpreters at the workplace, regardless of organizational context, and education of interpreters and users. Conclusion Use of interpreters was determined by health professionals, based on the patients’ health status, striving to deliver as fast and individualized care as possible based on humanistic values. Defects in organizational routines need to be rectified and transcultural awareness is needed to achieve the aim of person-centered and equal healthcare. Clear formal guidelines for the use of interpreters in emergency healthcare need to be developed and it is important to fulfill health professionals’ wishes for future development of prompt access to interpreters and education of interpreters and users.

Abstract Background The current migration flow into Europe is leading to a growing ethnically diverse population in many European countries. Now more than ever, those populations have different healthcare needs, languages, traditions, and previous level of care. This higher level of diversity is likely to increase health inequalities that might challenge healthcare systems if not addressed. In this context, this study aims at reviewing the policy framework for migrants’ access to healthcare in Spain, Portugal and Ireland, countries with a long history of immigration, to identify lessons to be learned for policies on migrants’ health. Methods A content analysis of official policy documents was undertaken and the conceptual framework developed by Mladowsky was adapted to classify the actions indicated in the policies. Results The content analysis revealed that the policy aim for all three analysed countries is the improvement of the health status of the immigrant population based on equity and equality principles. The main strategies are the adaptation of services through actions targeting patients and providers, such as the implementation of cultural mediators and trainings for health professionals. Conclusion The three countries propose a great range of policies aiming at improving access to healthcare services for immigrants that can inspire other European countries currently welcoming refugees. Developing inclusive policies, however does not necessarily mean they will be implemented or felt on the ground. Inclusive policies are indeed under threat due to the economic and social crises and due to the respective nationalistic attitudes towards integration. The European Union is challenged to take a more proactive leadership and ensure that countries effectively implement inclusive actions to improve migrant’s access to health services.

Abstract Background Migration has an influence on health behavior and food intake. Dietary variety is a key component to high-quality diets because a single food item does not contain a variety of nutrients and may not reflect nutritional adequacy. We aimed to compare the dietary diversity scores (DDS), food variety scores (FVS), and nutrient adequacy levels of married Filipino immigrant women in Korea to those of Korean women. Methods We matched the data of 474 participants aged 20-57 years from the Filipino Women’s Diet and Health Study (FiLWHEL) by age category with those of married Korean women randomly selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Dietary information in FiLWHEL and KNHANES were assessed through the 24-hour recall method. We calculated the DDS by summing the number of eleven food groups consumed (DDS 10 g if they consumed at least 10 g/day; DDS all if they consumed any amount) and the FVS by counting the number of food items consumed. For nutrient adequacy, we calculated the probability of adequacy (PA) and intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR). Results Filipino women had a lower DDS and FVS in comparison to Korean women. The means (±SDs) of DDS 10 g, DDS all, and FVS for Filipino women versus Korean women were 6.0 (±1.6) versus 6.8 (±1.5) (p

Background: Policy makers and health practitioners are in need of guidance to respond to the growing geographic mobility of Hispano-American migrants in Europe. Drawing from contributions from epidemiology, social sciences, demography, psychology, psychiatry and economy, this scoping review provides an up-to-date and comprehensive synthesis of studies addressing the health status and determinants of this population. We describe major research gaps and suggest specific avenues of further inquiry. Methods: We identified systematically papers that addressed the concepts "health" and "Hispano Americans" indexed in five data bases from Jan 1990 to May 2014 with no language restrictions. We screened the 4,464 citations retrieved against exclusion criteria and classified 193 selected references in 12 thematic folders with the aid of the reference management software ENDNOTE X6. After reviewing the full text of all papers we extracted relevant data systematically into a table template to facilitate the synthesising process. Results: Most studies focused on a particular disease, leaving unexplored the interlinkages between different health conditions and how these relate to legislative, health services, environmental, occupational, and other health determinants. We elucidated some consistent results but there were many heterogeneous findings and several popular beliefs were not fully supported by empirical evidence. Few studies adopted a trans-national perspective and many consisted of cross-sectional descriptions that considered "Hispano-Americans" as a homogeneous category, limiting our analysis. Our results are also constrained by the availability and varying quality of studies reviewed. Conclusions: Burgeoning research has produced some consistent findings but there are huge gaps in knowledge. To prevent unhelpful generalisations we need a more holistic and nuanced understanding of how mobility, ethnicity, income, gender, legislative status, employment status, working conditions, neighbourhood characteristics and social status intersect with demographic variables and policy contexts to influence the health of the diverse Hispano-American populations present in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Stroke campaigns are educating about the need to immediately contact the emergency medical system if symptoms occur. Despite higher stroke rates among patients with diabetics and some migrant populations, there are few data about stroke knowledge in these groups. Methods We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among 250 diabetes patients from Germany and Turkey in a primary care and diabetes practice center. The two-page questionnaire asked for stroke knowledge and socio-demographic data. Also, medical and communication data were obtained. Stroke knowledge was defined as good if a participant knew (1) at least two stroke symptoms (good symptom knowledge) and (2) that immediate hospital admission or an emergency call is necessary in case of stroke symptoms (good action knowledge). Results A total of 231 of 250 patients took part in the survey (participation rate 92.4%) with 134 natives (53.6%), 84 migrants from Turkey (33.6%) and 13 migrants (5.2%) from other countries. Comparing natives and migrants from Turkey good symptom knowledge was documented in 52.8% of the participants, good action knowledge in 67.9%, and good stroke knowledge in nearly forty percent (39.4%) of patients (n = 218). A logistic regression analysis showed better stroke knowledge if patients were younger than 61 years, had good language abilities and were living in an one-generation household (p < 0.05), while gender, years since migration and diabetes control did not play a role. Conclusions We documented stroke knowledge deficits among patients with diabetes, both natives and migrants. Additional information strategies for these high risk populations are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article main health problems specific for migration process and migrants strategies in case of illness were presented: self-treatment, limited access to health care services in immigration country and shifting the health care onto the country of origin. Mass migration together with migrants' needs deprivation points at the need of inclusion of consequences of migration into the health policy of both sending and receiving countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Competing Interests: A. Veïsse déclare n’avoir aucun lien d’intérêts.

Sociolinguistic studies on dialogue interpretation suggest that the interpreters in healthcare settings play a double role: they interpret and coordinate communication: for this reason, interpreting is considered a form of intercultural mediation. Based on the analysis of 55 tape-recorded conversations in Arabic and Italian in public healthcare services in Italy, this article connects the forms of intercultural communication promoted by the mediators and the linguistic aspects of mediation, discussing how the relevance of the migrant patients' voices in medical encounters is connected with the use of specific conversational resources by the mediators. Starting from the observation of actual and naturally-occurring interactions in intercultural healthcare services, the article suggests how an analysis of intercultural mediation may provide an empirical-based route to create guidelines for effective mediation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]