Use of health services among international migrant children - a systematic review

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Niina Markkula1, Baltica Cabieses2,3, Venla Lehti4

  • 1Social Studies in Health Research Programme, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina (ICIM), Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12461, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile. niina.markkula@helsinki.fi.

Globalization and Health
|May 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

International migrant children generally use fewer healthcare services than native populations, except for emergency and hospital care. Understanding these patterns is crucial for improving health equity.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Migrant children possess unique health needs and face barriers to healthcare access.
  • Limited data exists on the health service utilization patterns of this population.
  • This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding migrant children's healthcare use compared to native children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the patterns of health service utilization among international migrant children.
  • To compare the healthcare usage of migrant children with their native counterparts.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review of observational studies published between 2006 and 2016 was conducted.
  • Searches included PubMed, Web of Science, reference lists, and international agency websites.
  • Data extraction focused on study characteristics, themes, outcomes, and quality for migrant children (0-18 years).

Main Results:

  • Out of 107 studies, 50% reported lower healthcare use by migrants compared to non-migrants.
  • Conversely, 18% indicated greater use, and 25% found no significant difference.
  • Less use was common for general, primary, and oral healthcare; greater use was observed for emergency and hospital services.

Conclusions:

  • Migrant children generally utilize primary and preventive healthcare services less than native populations.
  • An exception exists for emergency and hospital services, where migrant children may use services more frequently.
  • Findings highlight disparities in healthcare access and utilization for migrant children, necessitating targeted interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
AccessChildrenHealth service useImmigrantsTransients and migrants

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