Infection of the Invisible: Impressions of a Tuberculosis Intervention Program for Migrants in Istanbul

This paper reviews the experience of the Istanbul Tuberculosis Aid Program, which targeted tuberculosis (TB) disease in the growing irregular migrant populations of Istanbul. This experience illustrated the importance of community-based public health interventions when dealing with an infectious dis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of immigrant and minority health 2015-10, Vol.17 (5), p.1481-1486
Main Authors: Yasin, Yesim, Biehl, Kristen, Erol, Maral
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
At risk populations
Communicable Disease Control - organization & administration
Communicable Diseases
Community
Community health care
Community involvement
Community Relations
Comparative Law
Consumer Health Information
Cultural Differences
Dialogs (Language)
Directly Observed Therapy
Economic Status
Employment
Empowerment
Funding
Health Behavior
Health care
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Needs
Health promotion
Health services
Host country
Humans
Infectious diseases
Information Seeking Behavior
International & Foreign Law
Intervention
Interviews
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Migrants
Mycobacterium
Noncitizens
ORIGINAL PAPER
Private International Law
Public Health
Public Health Practice
Qualitative Research
Residence Characteristics
Retrospective Studies
Semi Structured Interviews
Social entrepreneurship
Sociology
Studies
Success
Transients and Migrants
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis - drug therapy
Tuberculosis - prevention & control
Turkey
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Description
Summary:This paper reviews the experience of the Istanbul Tuberculosis Aid Program, which targeted tuberculosis (TB) disease in the growing irregular migrant populations of Istanbul. This experience illustrated the importance of community-based public health interventions when dealing with an infectious disease like TB among vulnerable groups. Our data is derived primarily from a qualitative study carried out with program stakeholders. We summarize lessons for success of ITAP as: (1) Strengthening impact and outreach of TB intervention among irregular migrant communities through involvement of multiple stakeholders (2) Increasing TB awareness through a community targeted approach (3) Increasing TB contact tracing and treatment success among infected irregular migrants, and, (4) Improving overall health seeking behavior of irregular migrants through empowerment and trust. Given these particularities we list our policy suggestions for revision of regulations regarding TB control and healthcare needs of irregular migrant populations.
ISSN:1557-1912
1557-1920
DOI:10.1007/s10903-014-0115-7