Migration and Refugee Health Disparities
Bwambale Isaac
Biomedical Department Kampala International University Uganda
Email: isaac.bwambale@studwc.kiu.ac.ug
ABSTRACT
Migration and refugee health disparities reflect persistent global inequities in access to healthcare, mental well-being, and social protection. This paper examines the complex interconnections between migration processes and health outcomes, emphasizing social, economic, and structural determinants that shape the lived realities of migrants and refugees across different contexts. Using conceptual frameworks from public health and social determinants of health, the discussion highlights the demographic and epidemiological profiles of migrant and refugee populations, underscoring the scarcity and heterogeneity of available data. The paper identifies how factors such as socioeconomic status, legal documentation, employment, stigma, and discriminatory policies exacerbate health inequities. Moreover, the analysis explores barriers and facilitators to healthcare access, with particular focus on mental health challenges, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health disparities. Policy dimensions, including international cooperation, legal rights, and universal health coverage, are discussed as crucial levers for mitigating disparities. Persistent research gaps and ethical concerns in data collection hinder a comprehensive understanding and response. Practical interventions, including community-based care models, hybrid academic-community health centers, and cross-sectoral collaborations, are proposed as strategies for equitable health outcomes. The findings reinforce the need for sustained global action, improved data systems, and migrant-sensitive public health planning to promote inclusion, resilience, and universal health equity.
Keywords: Migration; Refugee Health; Health Disparities; Social Determinants of Health; and Universal Health Coverage.
CITE AS: Bwambale Isaac (2025). Migration and Refugee Health Disparities. IDOSR JOURNAL OF APPLIED SCIENCES 10(3):136-141. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSRJAS/2025/103.136141