Challenges to healthcare access for migrants in transit: A scoping review

Migrants in transit face numerous health challenges which are further exacerbated by barriers to accessing healthcare. Understanding these barriers is essential for designing effective health interventions and policies that ensure equitable healthcare access for this population. This scoping review aims to investigate the barriers and the existing health policies that complicate healthcare access for migrants in transit and to recommend alternatives to improve access.

This review scoped 26 papers between 2011 and June 2024, including grey literature, using the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The databases searched included Medline, Migration Research Hub, Science Direct, Biomed Central, OECD, and third-sector websites. Results were thematically coded using inductive and deductive analysis.

16 peer-reviewed articles and 11 grey literature reports were included in this review. 69% of research was centred in the low- and middle-income European countries, and 80% of primary research focused on healthcare provider and civil organization perspectives. 46% of the studies directly analysed the barriers to healthcare, which were categorized into dimensions of acceptability, availability, affordability and accessibility. Only 23% of articles discussed policies and potential solutions, but there were no studies evaluating implementation of these policies or solutions.

Despite the growing body of literature on migrant health, significant gaps remain in understanding the extent of healthcare challenges faced by migrants in transit. Future research is needed to inform policy, practice, and the development of more effective healthcare systems for migrants in transit.