Barriers limiting access to healthcare among refugees or asylum seekers in Asia in the recent years: a scoping review 10.55131/jphd/2022/200117

Main Article Content

Zi Ying LIEW
Shin Yi LIM
Kar Hwa SHA
Wei Thing SZE

Abstract

Over the years, the number of refugees that reside in Asian countries has been increasing. Many refugees that arrive are at risk of many diseases and comorbidities, for example, mental health diseases, trauma, malnutrition and many more. This scoping review aimed to explore the barriers faced by refugees or asylum seekers that limit their access to healthcare services in their host countries. Systematic searching was performed in PubMed and Science Direct databases to search for the relevant studies published in English from the year 2017 to the year 2020. Arksey and O’Malley’s methodology framework was adopted in this scoping review. Ten studies that addressed this topic were included. We found that lack of awareness of one’s rights to healthcare, communication, cultural differences and financial difficulties were reported as the key barriers faced by the refugees in accessing healthcare in the Asian host countries. Improvements in health promotion, communication, cultural support and financial support for the refugees settling in Asia must be urgently addressed.

Article Details

How to Cite
1.
Ying LIEW Z, Yi LIM S, Hwa SHA K, Thing SZE W. Barriers limiting access to healthcare among refugees or asylum seekers in Asia in the recent years: a scoping review: 10.55131/jphd/2022/200117. J Public Hlth Dev [Internet]. 2022 Jan. 31 [cited 2024 Jul. 18];20(1):218-31. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/AIHD-MU/article/view/254519
Section
Review articles
Author Biographies

Zi Ying LIEW, Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Shin Yi LIM, Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Kar Hwa SHA, Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Wei Thing SZE, Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Faculty of Pharmacy, SEGi University Kota Damansara, Jalan Teknologi 47810 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

References

UN Refugee Agency. What is a refugee? [Internet]. UNHCR. [cited 2021 August 10]. Available from: https://www.unhcr.org/what-is-a-refugee.html.

UN Refugee Agency. Asylum and Migration [Internet]. UNHCR. [cited 2021 August 10]. Available from: https://www.unhcr.org/asylum-and-migration.html.

Nations U. Refugees. Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet [Internet]. United Nations. [cited 2021 August 10]. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/refugees.

Davies A, Basten A, Frattini C. Migration: A Social Determinant of the Health of Migrants | Migration Health Research Portal [Internet]. [cited 2021 September 4]. Available from: https://migrationhealthresearch.iom.int/migration-social-determinant-health-migrants.

WHO Regional Office for Europe. Health of refugees and migrants: Regional situational analysis, practices, experiences, lessons learned and ways forward [Internet]. 2018 [Cited 2021 August 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/migrants/publications/PAHO-report.pdf?ua=1.

Duzkoylu Y, Basceken SI, Kesilmez EC. Physical trauma among refugees: comparison between refugees and local population who were admitted to emergency department-experience of a state hospital in syrian border district. J Environ Public Health. 2017;2017:8626275.

Mei C, Xiao Chuan L, Faller E, Pereira A. Household Income, Household Food Insecurity And Weight Status Of Migrant Workers In Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. In: 6th Medical & Health Sciences Symposium, Management And Science University; 2016.

Hameed S, Sadiq A, Din AU. The Increased Vulnerability of Refugee Population to Mental Health Disorders. Kans J Med. 2018 Feb 28;11(1):20–3.

Traumatic Experiences of Refugees. Refugee Health TA [Internet]. Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center (RHTAC). 2011 [cited 2021 August 31]. Available from: https://refugeehealthta.org/physical-mental-health/mental-health/adult-mental-health/traumatic-experiences-of-refugees/

Kirmayer LJ, Narasiah L, Munoz M, Rashid M, Ryder AG, Guzder J, et al. Common mental health problems in immigrants and refugees: general approach in primary care. CMAJ. 2011 Sep 6;183(12):E959-967.

Knipscheer JW, Sleijpen M, Mooren T, Ter Heide FJJ, van der Aa N. Trauma exposure and refugee status as predictors of mental health outcomes in treatment-seeking refugees. BJPsych Bull. 2015 Aug;39(4):178–82.

UN Refugee Agency. Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2018. Geneva [Internet]. UNHCR. [cited 2021 August 31]. Available from: https://www.unhcr.org/5d08d7ee7.pdf

Arksey H, O’Malley L: Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005, 8: 19-32.

Chuah FLH, Tan ST, Yeo J, Legido-Quigley H. The health needs and access barriers among refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study. Int J Equity Health. 2018 Aug 15;17(1):120.

Kim MS, Song IG, An AR, Kim KH, Sohn JH, Yang SW. Healthcare access challenges facing six African refugee mothers in South Korea: a qualitative multiple-case study. Korean J Pediatr. 2017 May;60(5):138–44.

McNatt ZZ, Freels PE, Chandler H, Fawad M, Qarmout S, Al-Oraibi AS, et al. “What’s happening in Syria even affects the rocks”: a qualitative study of the Syrian refugee experience accessing noncommunicable disease services in Jordan. Confl Health. 2019 Dec;13(1):26.17.

Torun P, Mücaz Karaaslan M, Sandıklı B, Acar C, Shurtleff E, Dhrolia S, et al. Health and health care access for Syrian refugees living in İstanbul. Int J Public Health. 2018 Jun 1;63(5):601–8.

Pocock NS, Suphanchaimat R, Chan CK, Faller EM, Harrigan N, Pillai V, et al. Reflections on migrant and refugee health in Malaysia and the ASEAN region. In: BMC Proceedings. BioMed Central Ltd.; 2018. p. 4.

Han HR, Lee JE, Kim K, Chung Y, Kim MT, Robinson C, et al. Healthcare utilization among North Korean refugees in South Korea: a mixed methods study. Public Health. 2017 Jan 1;142:116–20.

Dator W, Abunab H, Dao-Ayen N. Health challenges and access to health care among Syrian refugees in Jordan: a review. East Mediterr Health J. 2018 Sep 6;24(7):680–6.

Tappis H, Lyles E, Burton A, Jordan Health Access Study Team, Lebanon Health Access Study Team, Doocy S. Maternal Health Care Utilization Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. Matern Child Health J. 2017 Sep;21(9):1798–807.

Al-Rousan T, Schwabkey Z, Jirmanus L, Nelson BD. Health needs and priorities of Syrian refugees in camps and urban settings in Jordan: perspectives of refugees and health care providers. East Mediterr Health J. 2018 Jun 10;24(3):243–53.

Dias S, Gama A, Silva AC, Cargaleiro H, Martins MO. [Barriers in access and utilization of health services among immigrants: the perspective of health professionals]. Acta Med Port. 2011 Aug;24(4):511–6.

Saurman E. Improving access: modifying penchansky and thomas’s theory of access. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2016 Jan;21(1):36–9.

Shaw SJ, Huebner C, Armin J, Orzech K, Orzech K, Vivian J. The role of culture in health literacy and chronic disease screening and management. J Immigr Minor Health. 2009 Dec;11(6):460–7.

Lee SK, Sulaiman-Hill CMR, Thompson SC. Providing health information for culturally and linguistically diverse women: priorities and preferences of new migrants and refugees. Health Promot J Austr. 2013 Aug;24(2):98–103.

Joels C. Impact of national policy on the health of people seeking asylum. Nurs Stand. 2008 Apr 9;22(31):35–40.

Diaz E, Ortiz-Barreda G, Ben-Shlomo Y, Holdsworth M, Salami B, Rammohan A, et al. Interventions to improve immigrant health. A scoping review. Eur J Public Health. 2017 Jun 1;27(3):433–9.

Powell TM, Li S-J, Hsiao Y, Thompson M, Farraj A, Abdoh M, et al. An integrated physical and mental health awareness education intervention to reduce non-communicable diseases among Syrian refugees and Jordanians in host communities: A natural experiment study. Prev Med Rep. 2021 Mar;21:101310.

Gordon D. Trauma and Second Language Learning among Laotian Refugees. Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement. 2015;6.

Söndergaard HP, Theorell T. Language Acquisition in Relation to Cumulative Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Load over Time in a Sample of Resettled Refugees. PPS. 2004;73(5):320–3.

Assi R, Özger-İlhan S, İlhan MN. Health needs and access to health care: the case of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Public Health. 2019 Jul;172:146–52.

Krüger M. Second language acquisition effects of a primary physical education intervention: A pilot study with young refugees. PLOS ONE. 2018 Sep 17;13(9):e0203664.

Uba L. Cultural barriers to health care for southeast Asian refugees. Public Health Rep. 1992 Oct;107

Kiselev N, Pfaltz M, Haas F, Schick M, Kappen M, Sijbrandij M, et al. Structural and socio-cultural barriers to accessing mental healthcare among Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1717825. (5):544–8.

Castro A, Ruiz E. The effects of nurse practitioner cultural competence on Latina patient satisfaction. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2009 May;21(5):278–86.

Betancourt JR, Green AR, Carrillo JE, Ananeh-Firempong O. Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public Health Rep. 2003;118(4):293–302.

Saunders P. The immigrant poverty profile. Migration Action 1998; 20(3)

Harris MF, Telfer BL. The health needs of asylum seekers living in the community. Med J Aust 2001; 175: 589-592.

UNHCR and JHAS. Health Access and Utilisation survey among non-camp Syrian Refugees [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2021 October 28]. Available from: data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/admin/download.php?id=6029.

Morris MD, Popper ST, Rodwell TC, Brodine SK, Brouwer KC. Healthcare barriers of refugees post-resettlement. J Community Health. 2009 Dec;34(6):529–38.

Riggs E, Davis E, Gibbs L, Block K, Szwarc J, Casey S, et al. Accessing maternal and child health services in Melbourne, Australia: Reflections from refugee families and service providers. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012 Dec;12(1):117.

El Arab R, Sagbakken M. Healthcare services for Syrian refugees in Jordan: a systematic review. European Journal of Public Health. 2018 Dec 1;28(6):1079–87.

Tangcharoensathien V, Thwin AA, Patcharanarumol W. Implementing health insurance for migrants, Thailand. Bull World Health Organ. 2017 Feb 1;95(2):146–51.

RHB Bank Malaysia. RHB Insurance In Collaboration With UNHCR To Support Refugees In Malaysia [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2021 Aug 31]. Available from: https://www. rhbgroup.com/~/media/files/malaysia/news-room/2016/june/160607.ashx

Hamdan N. Policy to address medical issues faced by migrants in Malaysia, says UNHCR rep [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2021 Aug 31]. Available from: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/06/08/insurance-for-refugees-launched-policy-to-address-medical-issues-faced-by-migrants-in-malaysia-says