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Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review

Undocumented migrants experience many barriers to accessing health systems around the globe. Although these barriers are well documented in the context of migration from low- and middle- to high-income countries, less attention has been paid to irregular migration within low- and middle-income count...

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Main Author: Adnan, Salman Amirah
Other Authors: Olivier, Jill
Format: Thesis
Language:Eng
Published: Department of Public Health and Family Medicine 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author Adnan, Salman Amirah
author2 Olivier, Jill
author_browse Adnan, Salman Amirah
Olivier, Jill
author_facet Olivier, Jill
Adnan, Salman Amirah
author_sort Adnan, Salman Amirah
collection Thesis
description Undocumented migrants experience many barriers to accessing health systems around the globe. Although these barriers are well documented in the context of migration from low- and middle- to high-income countries, less attention has been paid to irregular migration within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study reviewed and synthesized the available literature on barriers to accessing health systems among undocumented migrants in LMICs. Thirty-one studies published either on English, Portuguese or Spanish and published between 2013 and 2022 were included. As a growing body of evidence demonstrates, undocumented migrants are among the most vulnerable populations with access to health care services impacted by high costs, legal barriers, document requirements and unclear policy messages. By applying a health policy and systems research lens, this review found that these barriers are interrelated and further complicated by individual and institutional discrimination, xenophobia, and perceptions that undocumented migrants are less deserving and compete for local resources, among others. Delayed care and limited primary healthcare access with critical health consequences were described in all such cases. The review suggests that barriers to healthcare access require intersectoral action that needs to be guided by embedded, comprehensive evaluations to generate the knowledge that is necessary to inform effective policy-responses and implementation.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language Eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:03.909Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
publisherStr Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39175 Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review Adnan, Salman Amirah Olivier, Jill Health Systems Undocumented migrants experience many barriers to accessing health systems around the globe. Although these barriers are well documented in the context of migration from low- and middle- to high-income countries, less attention has been paid to irregular migration within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study reviewed and synthesized the available literature on barriers to accessing health systems among undocumented migrants in LMICs. Thirty-one studies published either on English, Portuguese or Spanish and published between 2013 and 2022 were included. As a growing body of evidence demonstrates, undocumented migrants are among the most vulnerable populations with access to health care services impacted by high costs, legal barriers, document requirements and unclear policy messages. By applying a health policy and systems research lens, this review found that these barriers are interrelated and further complicated by individual and institutional discrimination, xenophobia, and perceptions that undocumented migrants are less deserving and compete for local resources, among others. Delayed care and limited primary healthcare access with critical health consequences were described in all such cases. The review suggests that barriers to healthcare access require intersectoral action that needs to be guided by embedded, comprehensive evaluations to generate the knowledge that is necessary to inform effective policy-responses and implementation. 2024-02-27T12:37:22Z 2024-02-27T12:37:22Z 2023 2024-02-27T12:34:19Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPH http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39175 Eng application/pdf Department of Public Health and Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences
spellingShingle Health Systems
Adnan, Salman Amirah
Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
title_full Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
title_fullStr Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
title_short Barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low-and middle-income countries: A qualitative systematic review
title_sort barriers to healthcare access by undocumented migrants in low and middle income countries a qualitative systematic review
topic Health Systems
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39175
work_keys_str_mv AT adnansalmanamirah barrierstohealthcareaccessbyundocumentedmigrantsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesaqualitativesystematicreview