Self-Perceived Health among Migrants Seen in Médecins du Monde Free Clinics in Europe: Impact of Length of Stay and Wealth of Country of Origin on Migrants’ Health

Abstract

Health of migrants is a widely studied topic. It has been argued that migrant health may deteriorate over time. Though migrants are a “hard to reach” population in survey data, this paper builds on a unique dataset provided by Médecins du Monde from five countries. We study self-perceived health (SPH) in connection with socio-economic and demographic factors and length of stay. Results differ for men and women. Compared to other documented migrants, asylum seekers have a 50–70% greater chance of having worse health. Migrants with better living conditions have a 57–78% chance of being in better health. Male migrants with a job have between a 82–116% chance of being in good health. The probability for women from poorer countries to have a better physical SPH after three months of residing in the host country is six-fold that of women from richer countries. This paper contributes widely to the knowledge of health of migrants. Contrary to other evidence, health of women migrants from poorer countries tends to improve with length of stay.

The Health of a Migrant Population: A Phenomenological Study of the Experience of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in a Multicultural Context

“…For interviewees, the need for security and stability is embodied in the opportunity of gaining or rebuilding complete independence, as a form of labor and housing autonomy. Many studies highlighted how access to the labor market and having stable and safe housing could be two essential aspects for refugees' and AS' health [45][46][47]. There is a significant association between refugees' and AS' mental health and work quality [48].…”

Health needs and perception of health care quality among Asylum Seekers and Refugees in an Italian local health authority: A qualitative study

“…The asylum application and the following renewal of the residence permit are directly associated with stress and mental health consequences ( 29 , 30 ). According to this, some author declared that migrants who have a job and a stable accommodation have better health outcomes, while instability and uncertainty may lead to develop severe mental disorders ( 30 , 31 ). Therefore, legal status is one of the most significant factors determining access to an adequate health care for migrants in a country ( 16 ).…”

Just a question of time? Explaining non-take-up of a public health insurance program designed for undocumented immigrants living in France

“…Nevertheless, we expect that having children increases the probability of having contact with the health system and then to obtaining SMA. 11 Combes et al (2019) and Ichou and Walllace (2019) show that educational attainment and the country level of development are important factors explaining health disparities between immigrants coming in France and non-immigrants staying in home country. We tested, therefore, whether controlling for both the home country's HDI and their related level of secondary completion rate.…”