Journal of Migration and Health最新文献

{"title":"Healthcare utilization patterns among migrant populations: Increased readmissions suggest poorer access. A population-wide retrospective cohort study","authors":"Elma Dervić ,&nbsp;Ola Ali ,&nbsp;Carola Deischinger ,&nbsp;Rafael Prieto-Curiel ,&nbsp;Rainer Stütz ,&nbsp;Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz ,&nbsp;Peter Klimek","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background:</h3><div>Equal access to health ensures that all citizens, regardless of socio-economic status, can achieve optimal health, leading to a more productive, equitable, and resilient society. Yet, migrant populations were frequently observed to have lower access to health. The reasons for this are not entirely clear and may include language barriers, a lack of knowledge of the healthcare system, and selective migration (a “healthy migrant” effect).</div></div><div><h3>Objective:</h3><div>To examine differences in hospital utilization and readmission rates between Austrian and non-Austrian populations using nationwide hospital claims data, with the aim of disentangling the effects of potential barriers to healthcare access.</div></div><div><h3>Methods:</h3><div>Here, we use extensive medical claims data from Austria (13 million hospital stays of approximately 4 million individuals between 2015 and 2019) to compare the healthcare utilization patterns between Austrians and non-Austrians. We looked at the differences in primary diagnoses and hospital sections of initial hospital admission across different nationalities. We hypothesize that cohorts experiencing the “healthy migrant” effect show lower readmission rates after hospitalization compared to migrant populations that are in poorer health but show lower hospitalization rates due to barriers in access.</div></div><div><h3>Results:</h3><div>We indeed find that all nationalities showed lower hospitalization rates than Austrians, except for Germans, who exhibit a similar healthcare usage to Austrians. Although around 20% of the population has a migration background, non-Austrian citizens account for only 9.4% of the hospital patients and 9.79% of hospital nights. However, results for readmission rates are much more divergent. Nationalities like Hungary, Romania, and Turkey (females) show decreased readmission rates in line with the healthy migrant effect. Patients from Russia, Serbia, and Turkey (males) show increased readmissions, suggesting that their lower hospitalization rates are more likely due to access barriers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion:</h3><div>Considering the surge in international migration, our findings shed light on healthcare access, usage behaviours and gender differences across patients with different nationalities, offering new insights and perspectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breastfeeding practices and exclusive breastfeeding among syrian refugee mothers in Jordanian Host Communities","authors":"Suhaila Halasa ,&nbsp;Reema Safadi ,&nbsp;Dua' Al-Maharma ,&nbsp;Manar Nabolsi ,&nbsp;Jennifer Dohrn ,&nbsp;Muayyad Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity are essential in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates. Employing the Health Belief Model as a framework, this cross-sectional survey aimed to identify influencing factors and barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among 523 eligible Syrian refugee mothers living in Jordan. Of these, 35.8 % practiced exclusive breastfeeding and 36.9 % initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. The logistic regression model showed that prior breastfeeding experience (OR = 5.06, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, 95 % CI: 2.17–11.82), maternal satisfaction with feeding method (OR = 3.58, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, 95 % CI: 1.89–6.76), medical insurance (OR = 1.74, <em>p</em> = 0.015, 95 % CI: 1.11–2.73), birth method (OR = 1.69, <em>p</em> = 0.034, 95 % CI: 1.04–2.73) and infant gender (OR= 0.64, <em>p</em> = 0.05, 95 % CI: 0.41–0.99) significantly influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates.</div><div>The findings revealed that breastfeeding practices do not align with WHO recommendations, emphasizing the crucial role of healthcare providers in supporting breastfeeding mothers during crises. It is essential to consider the unique circumstances and cultural backgrounds of refugees when evaluating their needs for developing breastfeeding programs. International health organizations, like the UNHCR, and host country policymakers should prioritize access to antenatal and postnatal counseling services and health insurance for mothers and children during crises.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unequal weathering: How immigrants’ health advantage vanishes over the life-course","authors":"Silvia Loi ,&nbsp;Peng Li ,&nbsp;Mikko Myrskylä","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The weathering hypothesis implies that there is an interaction between age and race or ethnicity that results in marginalized groups experiencing a more rapid decline in health than the dominant groups. This hypothesis has been tested mostly focusing on racial and ethnic health inequalities, while less is known about weathering by immigration background. This paper aims at contributing to this strand of research by addressing four research questions: is the health of immigrants declining at a faster pace over the life-course, compared to non-immigrants? Do higher levels of education protect immigrants from accelerated ageing compared to non-immigrants? How do income and marital status affect the health trajectories of immigrants and non-immigrants? How do these patterns vary by sex? We use longitudinal survey data to estimate healthy ageing trajectories of immigrants and non-immigrants over the life-course, in the German context. We examine the roles of education, income, and marital status, separately for men and women. We find that immigrants, and especially immigrant women, have a faster health decline than non-immigrants; that high education is linked to higher levels of health, but does not protect immigrants from ageing in poorer health compared to non-immigrants; and that health disparities between immigrants and non-immigrants persist over the life-course net of the socio-economic controls, which appear to be secondary to other unobserved determinants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143101960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring health literacy among Japanese and international university students in Japan: A comparative cross-sectional study","authors":"Akindele Abimibayo Adeoya","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Health literacy (HL) is the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health information for well-being. However, comparisons between domestic and international students remain limited. This study aims to investigate HL among Japanese and international university students in Japan and explore the factors that influence it.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional study used both the English and Japanese versions of the 47-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47). Using convenience sampling, a total of 1366 university students across six regions in Japan who provided informed consent participated in this self-administered, online-based survey. Descriptive statistics, <em>t</em>-tests, ANOVA and multiple regression were conducted as appropriate at a 0.05 alpha level using JMP statistical software (version 17.0.0)</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results revealed that 60 % and 32 % of participants had inadequate and problematic HL, respectively, indicating that 92 % of all students had limited HL. International students exhibited better HL than Japanese university students (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001), a difference that remained after adjusting for sociodemographic and educational factors (β = 3.39, 95 % confidence interval = 2.83 – 3.95, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001). The competency of “appraising” within the healthcare domain presented the greatest challenge for international students, whereas “understanding” within the disease prevention domain was most difficult for Japanese students. Furthermore, the results indicated a strong association between HL and sociodemographic factors such as age, level of study, marital status, and religious affiliation. In contrast, health literacy showed an inverse association with economic status, program of study and parental education level. There was an observable trend between improved Japanese language proficiency and improved HL among international students.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>International students in Japan demonstrated better HL than Japanese university students. Educational institutions must take a more proactive role in fostering HL for all students through general health education and peer-to-peer programs to create a more informed, healthy, and productive student community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100334"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infectious disease research in forcibly displaced populations: A systematic review in low- and middle-income host countries","authors":"Neila Gross ,&nbsp;Maia C. Tarnas ,&nbsp;Rashmina J. Sayeeda ,&nbsp;Carly Ching ,&nbsp;David Flynn ,&nbsp;Muhammad H Zaman","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Infectious disease research is essential for disease prevention and management within refugee camps and informal settlements. The objective of this study is to identify the characteristics of existing infectious disease research in these settings and to assess stated research challenges, ethical considerations, and studied interventions within these studies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This is a systematic review of forty primary studies focused on infectious disease research conducted among displaced populations. Included studies are published in English between 1995 and 2023. Three databases were searched, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, and this review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023461567). The risk of bias of the studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>85 % of studies (<em>n</em> = 34) researched an intervention for infectious disease prevention or control and 70 % of studies (<em>n</em> = 28) were randomized controlled trials. 75 % of studies were located in Bangladesh (<em>n</em> = 15) or Pakistan (<em>n</em> = 15). 40 % of studies focused on diarrheal diseases (<em>n</em> = 16) and 28 % on malaria (<em>n</em> = 11). Common identified research challenges included population mobility, limited external validity, and low recruitment. No studies included the community in the initial study conception or investigated the research impact on the community. Community involvement was often through community health workers (45 %). Of the 18 studies that studied a resource-based intervention, 20 % explicitly noted that the intervention was unsustainable.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>While guidelines for conducting research in displaced settings exist, there are gaps in their utilization. We identified a disconnect between where displaced individuals reside and where research is conducted, as well as a prioritization of particular infectious diseases. Researchers identified numerous challenges in conducting research in these settings, though the community was rarely involved in the research. Context-specific considerations and community involvement are vital in research with displaced communities.</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>Wellcome Trust (Contract Number C-010,656).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100341"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144534638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the role of social environment on COVID-19 infections and vaccine uptake among migrants in Japan: Findings from nationwide surveys in 2021 and 2023","authors":"Yuanyuan Teng ,&nbsp;Clive E. Sabel ,&nbsp;Tomoya Hanibuchi ,&nbsp;Tomoki Nakaya","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies have shown that migrants and ethnic minority groups were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the role of the social environment in shaping their vulnerabilities remains underexplored in Japan. This study explored the experiences of migrants in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined the association between social environmental factors (i.e., population density, neighborhood deprivation, ethnic density, and social networks) and both COVID-19 infections and vaccination uptake. Two nationwide online surveys were conducted in 2021 and 2023 to capture migrants' experiences and analyze these associations during the middle and waning stages of the pandemic. Modified Poisson regressions with robust standard errors were applied for the analysis. The findings revealed the complex and evolving influence of social environmental factors on infections and vaccination uptake as the pandemic progressed. Larger neighborhood ties with co-nationals were associated with a higher risk of infection in 2021, while neighborhood population density, neighborhood deprivation, and ethnic density showed no significant association with infection in both surveys. Regarding COVID-19 vaccination, more social contacts with Japanese natives were negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy in 2021 and incomplete vaccination in 2023. Additionally, neighborhood deprivation was positively associated with vaccine hesitancy and incomplete vaccination in 2021 before adjusting for other variables. In anticipation of future pandemics, customized programs should be developed to address the unique healthcare needs of migrants and tailored to different stages of the pandemic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First-generation Turkish immigrants' views and preferences on cardiovascular disease prevention in primary care - a qualitative study in the Netherlands","authors":"Joshua A.N. van Apeldoorn ,&nbsp;Julie S. Jansen ,&nbsp;Eva L. Liefhebber ,&nbsp;Özgül Uysal-Bozkir ,&nbsp;Edanur Sert ,&nbsp;Ralf E. Harskamp ,&nbsp;Charles Agyemang ,&nbsp;Edo Richard ,&nbsp;Eric P. Moll van Charante","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100367","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100367","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>First-generation Turkish migrants in the Netherlands face higher cardiovascular risk and are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the Dutch host population. To improve prevention in primary care, we explored their views and preferences on cardiovascular prevention.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>We conducted a qualitative study by interviewing first-generation Turkish migrants in The Netherlands. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups, conducted in Dutch or Turkish, were analyzed using thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We conducted 26 individual interviews and two sex-stratified focus group sessions. Participants were aware of CVD risk factors and related health hazards but struggled to adopt a healthy lifestyle, as family obligations, household responsibilities, and work often took precedence over personal health. All participants identified language barriers as a significant challenge, but opinions varied on whether it was necessary for GPs to understand Turkish culture. Some felt this was unnecessary, viewing GPs primarily as medical decision-makers or intermediaries for referrals to other (para)medics, with lifestyle advice outside their professional scope. They emphasized that GPs should ask openly about lifestyle rather than assuming that behaviours associated with a Turkish cultural background play a role.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>First-generation Turkish migrants in the Netherlands were aware of CVD risk, but personal responsibilities posed challenges in adopting a healthy lifestyle. Although views on the importance of GPs understanding Turkish culture varied, participants agreed that GPs should ask openly about lifestyle rather than assuming cultural relevance in cardiovascular prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100367"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rate estimation and trend analysis of new HIV infections among the international migrant population in Chile from 2013 to 2022","authors":"Rodrigo Puentes ,&nbsp;María Alejandra Dünner ,&nbsp;Natalia T. Santis-Alay ,&nbsp;Mario E. Soto-Marchant ,&nbsp;Cecilia Canales ,&nbsp;Janepsy Díaz","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>International migrants are central to HIV research, but comparative data on their infection rates versus resident populations, including in Chile, are scarce. This study compares HIV incidence rates between international migrants and Chileans.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A longitudinal study was conducted. Crude and standardized rates of new HIV infections reported by the Institute of Public Health of Chile (ISP) were calculated for the period 2013 to 2022, using data from public and private health facilities nationwide. Population estimates for international migrants and Chileans were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the National Migration Service (SERMIG). Rates were adjusted for age and sex using the direct method.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 51,513 validated new HIV infections were analyzed, of which 14,936 (29.0 %) occurred in international migrants and 36,577 (71.0 %) in Chileans. International migrants showed an increase in incidence rates between 2013 and 2022 (adjusted rate from 22.6 [95 % CI: 18.3 – 27.0] to 115.6 [95 % CI: 110.5 – 120.7] new HIV infections per 100,000 population). Throughout the study period, the ratio of adjusted incidence rates between international migrants and Chileans increased from 1.0 [95 % CI: 0.9 – 1.2] to 7.6 [95 % CI: 7.2 – 8.0].</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>HIV incidence rates were higher in international migrants than in Chileans and increased over the study period. This may be influenced by various exogenous factors, including social determinants of health and the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to focus on HIV diagnosis, prevention, and control strategies for international migrants in Chile.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100297"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11759548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143048124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Posttraumatic stress among refugees: The moderating effect of perceived social support","authors":"Victoria Sophie Boettcher,&nbsp;Frank Neuner","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100323","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100323","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Social support has been associated with the mental health of refugees. However, little is known about the characteristics and effects of social support in this group. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of social support, specifically through the perceived opportunity to confide in someone. We hypothesized that the opportunity to confide would have a moderating influence on the dose-effect relationship between trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Clinical face-to-face interviews were conducted with 65 adult refugees who were living in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia. Interpreters (Arabic, Farsi, Kurmancî) were present if necessary. Interviews included a detailed assessment of traumatic event types, PTSD symptoms (assessed via the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)), and social support experienced by the participants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The multiple hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant moderation of the perceived opportunity to confide on the association of number of traumatic event types reported and PTSD symptomatology. For refugees with limited trauma exposure, opportunity to confide was associated with lower PTSD symptoms. Most confidants were located within the countries of reception, while contacts in the home countries were less often identified as protective.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Social support, in particular the opportunity to confide, seems to act as a buffering factor up to a certain number of experienced traumatic event types. Specialized interventions may be necessary for people with a high trauma load and / or high symptom level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100323"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perspectives of migrant men who have sex with men and professionals on personal, social and structural barriers and facilitators to sexual healthcare access and outreach strategies: A qualitative study","authors":"Chrissy PB Moonen ,&nbsp;Christian JPA Hoebe ,&nbsp;Casper DJ den Heijer ,&nbsp;Jill Buursma ,&nbsp;Marita ILS Werner ,&nbsp;Ymke J Evers ,&nbsp;Nicole HTM Dukers-Muijrers","doi":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100342","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100342","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Migrant men who have sex with men (mMSM) carry a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) yet encounter unique barriers to accessing sexual healthcare. This qualitative study explored mMSM’s and professionals’ perspectives regarding mMSM’s personal, social and structural barriers and facilitators to Dutch sexual healthcare access and outreach strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 15 mMSM (aged ≥16) and 10 professionals from various organisations working with mMSM. mMSM were recruited via sexual health nurses at three STI clinics of a Dutch Public Health Service and flyers; professionals via email, flyers, and the project team’s network. Transcripts were analysed thematically using deductive and inductive coding by two researchers, ensuring intercoder agreement.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Key facilitators for sexual healthcare access included supportive social networks, in-person consultations, and culturally and LGBTQ+-sensitive staff. Main barriers involved fear of stigma rooted in cultural and religious beliefs, limited awareness of available services, and language-related challenges. Suggested outreach strategies included dating app advertisements, short multilingual videos, and translated posters in venues frequented by mMSM (e.g., bars and schools). Notably, most participants accessed services through personal referrals, underlining the importance of including social networks in outreach strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Addressing personal, social and structural barriers while enhancing facilitators contributes to more inclusive and equitable sexual healthcare services. Besides, increasing reach of mMSM through the dissemination of tailored information via social networks, digital platforms, and community settings further supports this objective. These findings inform strategies aimed at reducing health disparities and contribute to broader STI, HIV, and hepatitis prevention goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34448,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Migration and Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100342"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144557291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}