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Stevens AJ, Boukari Y, English S, Kadir A, Kumar BN, Devakumar D. Discriminatory, racist and xenophobic policies and practice against child refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in European health systems. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2024; 41:100834. [PMID: 39119094 PMCID: PMC11306214 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Child refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants who have been forcibly displaced from their countries of origin have heightened health needs as a consequence of their migration experiences. Host countries have a duty to respond to these needs, yet across Europe we are seeing a rise in potentially harmful discriminative, hostile and restrictive migration policies and practices. Research exploring the role racism, xenophobia and discrimination in European health systems may play in child migrant health inequities is lacking. This Personal View seeks to highlight this knowledge gap and stimulate discourse on how discrimination in health information systems, data sharing practices, national health policy, healthcare entitlements, service access, quality of care, and healthcare workers attitudes and behaviours may infringe upon the rights of, and impact the health of child refugees, asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants. It calls for action to prevent and mitigate against potentially harmful policies and practices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yamina Boukari
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, UK
| | - Sonora English
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ayesha Kadir
- Save the Children International, St Vincent House, London, UK
| | | | - Delan Devakumar
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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Stevenson K, Antia K, Burns R, Mosca D, Gencianos G, Rechel B, Norredam M, LeVoy M, Blanchet K. Universal health coverage for undocumented migrants in the WHO European region: a long way to go. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2024; 41:100803. [PMID: 39119095 PMCID: PMC11306210 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The number of people on the move internationally is increasing, and a sizable number of these individuals are migrating through and to the WHO European Region. The UN Sustainable Development Goals demand that we leave no one behind and ensure equitable implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), regardless of immigration status. In the WHO European region, some of the migrants in the most precarious situations are undocumented; defined as those who may have been unsuccessful in asylum applications, born to undocumented parents, continued their residence in a country after their permit or other means of stay expired, as well as those who have entered the country irregularly. These undocumented migrants face some of the biggest challenges to accessing UHC and are often left behind by systems that exclude and stigmatise them. This paper examines the literature on access to healthcare for undocumented migrants in the WHO European Region and calls for urgent action towards ensuring UHC for all migrants regardless of immigration status by 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerrie Stevenson
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Khatia Antia
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rachel Burns
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Mosca
- Realizing SDGs for Migrants, Displaced, and Communities, Italy
| | | | - Bernd Rechel
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Norredam
- Department of Public Health, Danish Research Center for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, Section of Health Services, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michele LeVoy
- Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karl Blanchet
- Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Lancet Migration European Region Hub, Switzerland
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Sacks E, Brizuela V, Javadi D, Kim Y, Elmi N, Finlayson K, Crossland N, Langlois EV, Ziegler D, Parmar SM, Bonet M. Immigrant women's and families' views and experiences of routine postnatal care: findings from a qualitative evidence synthesis. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 8:e014075. [PMID: 38351019 PMCID: PMC10897958 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uptake of postnatal care (PNC) is low and inequitable in many countries, and immigrant women may experience additional challenges to access and effective use. As part of a larger study examining the views of women, partners, and families on routine PNC, we analysed a subset of data on the specific experiences of immigrant women and families. METHODS This is a subanalysis of a larger qualitative evidence synthesis. We searched MEDLINE, PUBMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, EBM-Reviews and grey literature for studies published until December 2019 with extractable qualitative data with no language restrictions. For this analysis, we focused on papers related to immigrant women and families. Two reviewers screened each study independently; inclusion was agreed by consensus. Data abstraction and quality assessment were carried out using a study-specific extraction form and established quality assessment tools. Study findings were identified using thematic analysis. Findings are presented by confidence in the finding, applying the GRADE-CERQual approach. FINDINGS We included 44 papers, out of 602 full-texts, representing 11 countries where women and families sought PNC after immigrating. All but one included immigrants to high-income countries. Four themes were identified: resources and access, differences from home country, support needs, and experiences of care. High confidence study findings included: language and communication challenges; uncertainty about navigating system supports including transportation; high mental health, emotional, and informational needs; the impact of personal resources and social support; and the quality of interaction with healthcare providers. These findings highlight the importance of care experiences beyond clinical care. More research is also needed on the experiences of families migrating between low-income countries. CONCLUSIONS Immigrant families experience many challenges in getting routine PNC, especially related to language, culture, and communication. Some challenges may be mitigated by improving comprehensive and accessible information on available services, as well as holistic social support. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42019139183.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Sacks
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Vanessa Brizuela
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dena Javadi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yoona Kim
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nika Elmi
- School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kenneth Finlayson
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Nicola Crossland
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Etienne V Langlois
- Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Ziegler
- Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Mercedes Bonet
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Gram L, Mau A. 'We are not the virus'-Experiences of racism among East & Southeast Asian heritage young people in London during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002016. [PMID: 38266024 PMCID: PMC10807763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The spread of COVID-19 was accompanied by news reports of surging racism, xenophobia, and hate crime all over the Global North targeting individuals of East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) descent. However, little empirical research has documented the impacts of COVID-19 on child and adolescent ESEAs. We describe and analyse the mental health experiences of young ESEA Londoners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We purposively recruited 23 young people (aged 9-20) of ESEA heritage through social media and existing ESEA networks and analysed transcripts using thematic analysis. Participants experienced distress from being exposed to multiple forms of racism ranging from strangers on the street avoiding or harassing them to classmates at school or university making racist 'jokes', comments or 'banter'. Participants worried about hate crimes reported in news media and experienced anxiety from seeing pervasive racist content in online social media. Some participants responded by physically isolating themselves at home for long periods, whilst others chose to participate in activism, providing a sense of agency. Action by parents and school authorities was reported to help prevent further bullying, but respondents did not always feel able to approach these for help. Our findings put into focus the strain on young ESEA Londoners' mental health caused by COVID-related racism and jar against simplified depictions of metropolitan places, such as London, as centres of cosmopolitanism and tolerance. To promote the emotional wellbeing of young ESEAs, future policy should facilitate action by schools and universities against anti-ESEA racism and support ESEA community-building efforts to enhance resilience in the face of racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Gram
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ada Mau
- Outreach and Widening Participation, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Harris BN, Bauer CM, Carr JA, Gabor CR, Grindstaff JL, Guoynes C, Heppner JJ, Ledon-Rettig CC, Lopes PC, Lynn SE, Madelaire CB, Neuman-Lee LA, Palacios MG, Soto P, Terry J. COVID-19 as a chronic stressor and the importance of individual identity: A data-driven look at academic productivity during the pandemic. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 345:114394. [PMID: 37871848 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted personal and professional life. For academics, research, teaching, and service tasks were upended and we all had to navigate the altered landscape. However, some individuals faced a disproportionate burden, particularly academics with minoritized identities or those who were early career, were caregivers, or had intersecting identities. As comparative endocrinologists, we determine how aspects of individual and species-level variation influence response to, recovery from, and resilience in the face of stressors. Here, we flip that framework and apply an integrative biological lens to the impact of the COVID-19 chronic stressor on our endocrine community. We address how the pandemic altered impact factors of academia (e.g., scholarly products) and relatedly, how factors of impact (e.g., sex, gender, race, career stage, caregiver status, etc.) altered the way in which individuals could respond. We predict the pandemic will have long-term impacts on the population dynamics, composition, and landscape of our academic ecosystem. Impact factors of research, namely journal submissions, were altered by COVID-19, and women authors saw a big dip. We discuss this broadly and then report General and Comparative Endocrinology (GCE) manuscript submission and acceptance status by gender and geographic region from 2019 to 2023. We also summarize how the pandemic impacted individuals with different axes of identity, how academic institutions have responded, compile proposed solutions, and conclude with a discussion on what we can all do to (re)build the academy in an equitable way. At GCE, the first author positions had gender parity, but men outnumbered women at the corresponding author position. Region of manuscript origin mattered for submission and acceptance rates, and women authors from Asia and the Middle East were the most heavily impacted by the pandemic. The number of manuscripts submitted dropped after year 1 of the pandemic and has not yet recovered. Thus, COVID-19 was a chronic stressor for the GCE community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N Harris
- Texas Tech University, Department of Biological Science, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
| | - Carolyn M Bauer
- Swarthmore College, Department of Biology, Swarthmore, PA 19081 USA
| | - James A Carr
- Texas Tech University, Department of Biological Science, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | | | - Jennifer L Grindstaff
- Oklahoma State University, Department of Integrative Biology, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | | | | | - Cris C Ledon-Rettig
- Indiana University Bloomington, Department of Biology, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Sharon E Lynn
- The College of Wooster, Department of Biology, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
| | - Carla B Madelaire
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, CA 92025, USA
| | | | - Maria G Palacios
- Centro Para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, CCT CONICET-CENPAT, Blvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Paul Soto
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Jennifer Terry
- Arkansas State University, State University, AR 72467, USA
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Wispelwey B, Tanous O, Asi Y, Hammoudeh W, Mills D. Because its power remains naturalized: introducing the settler colonial determinants of health. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1137428. [PMID: 37533522 PMCID: PMC10393129 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1137428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Indigenous people suffer earlier death and more frequent and severe disease than their settler counterparts, a remarkably persistent reality over time, across settler colonized geographies, and despite their ongoing resistance to elimination. Although these health inequities are well-known, they have been impervious to comprehensive and convincing explication, let alone remediation. Settler colonial studies, a fast-growing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field, is a promising candidate to rectify this impasse. Settler colonialism's relationship to health inequity is at once obvious and incompletely described, a paradox arising from epistemic coloniality and perceived analytic challenges that we address here in three parts. First, in considering settler colonialism an enduring structure rather than a past event, and by wedding this fundamental insight to the ascendant structural paradigm for understanding health inequities, a picture emerges in which this system of power serves as a foundational and ongoing configuration determining social and political mechanisms that impose on human health. Second, because modern racialization has served to solidify and maintain the hierarchies of colonial relations, settler colonialism adds explanatory power to racism's health impacts and potential amelioration by historicizing this process for differentially racialized groups. Finally, advances in structural racism methodologies and the work of a few visionary scholars have already begun to elucidate the possibilities for a body of literature linking settler colonialism and health, illuminating future research opportunities and pathways toward the decolonization required for health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Wispelwey
- Department of Global Health and Population, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Osama Tanous
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yara Asi
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, College of Community Innovation and Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Weeam Hammoudeh
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine
| | - David Mills
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Miró Ò. Race: a sometimes relevant aspect that is immensely difficult to categorize in emergency medicine. Eur J Emerg Med 2023; 30:155-156. [PMID: 36719187 DOI: 10.1097/mej.0000000000001000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Òscar Miró
- Emergency Department, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Liverpool L. Fund research on racism's health impacts, says European group. Nature 2023:10.1038/d41586-023-01448-5. [PMID: 37138063 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-01448-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
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