Including migrant populations in health impact assessments

In 2010, there were 214 million international migrants worldwide, a number that is projected to double by 2050. Migrants' motives for leaving their countries of origin include employment and education opportunities, escape from conflict and discrimination and the desire to raise families in eco...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2015-12, Vol.93 (12), p.888-889
Main Authors: Miramontes, Lara, Pottie, Kevin, Jandu, Maria Benkhalti, Welch, Vivian, Miller, Keith, James, Megan, Roberts, Janet Hatcher
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access
Collaboration
Community-Institutional Relations
Constraints
Data collection
Decision making
Disease
Employment discrimination
Equity
Ethnicity
Family conflict
Health
Health aspects
Health care policy
Health education
Health Impact Assessment - methods
Health Policy
Health risk assessment
Health services
Health technology assessment
Humans
Immigrants
Infectious diseases
International organizations
Medical research
Mental disorders
Mental health services
Methods
Migrants
Migration
Noncitizens
Policies
Population
Population policy
Refugees
Research centers
Services
Social conditions
Social conditions & trends
Social services delivery
Subgroups
Transients and Migrants
United States
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Summary:In 2010, there were 214 million international migrants worldwide, a number that is projected to double by 2050. Migrants' motives for leaving their countries of origin include employment and education opportunities, escape from conflict and discrimination and the desire to raise families in economically and politically stable environments. New migrants are often healthier than the general population on arrival, but their health may deteriorate after settlement, due to unfamiliar social conditions, infectious diseases, or restricted access to health services. Cultural and linguistic barriers may contribute to poor delivery of health services. The 61st World Health Assembly called on all Member States to promote migrant-sensitive health policies. Some subgroups -- especially refugees -- have a greater burden of infectious diseases and mental disorders than the indigenous population. However, there are no explicit decision-support tools for policy-makers to ensure health equity for migrants. Health impact assessment can improve health equity by mitigating unintended harms and maximizing the benefits of programmes or policies.
ISSN:0042-9686
1564-0604
DOI:10.2471/BLT.14.142315