Individual and structural barriers to Latin American refugees and asylum seekers' access to primary and mental healthcare in Chile: A qualitative study
Journal
PLOS ONE
ISSN
1932-6203
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Alejandra Carreño-Calderón
M. Eliana Correa-Matus
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:sec id="sec001">
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>Since 2010 there has been a growing population of refugees and asylum seekers in Latin America. This study sought to investigate the perceived experiences and healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers of Latin American origin in Chile in order to identify main barriers to healthcare and provide guidance on allied challenges for the public healthcare system.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec002">
<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>Descriptive qualitative case study with semi-structured interviews applied to refugees and asylum seekers (n = 8), healthcare workers (n = 4), and members of Non-Governmental Organizations and religious foundations focused on working with refugees and asylum seekers in Chile (n = 2).</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec003">
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>Although Chilean law guarantees access to all levels of healthcare for the international migrant population, the specific healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers were not adequately covered. Primary care and mental healthcare were the most required types of service for participants, yet they appeared to be the most difficult to access. Difficulties in social integration -including access to healthcare, housing, and education- upon arrival and lengthy waiting times for legal status of refugees also presented great barriers to effective healthcare provision and wellbeing. Healthcare workers and members of organizations indicated the need for more information about refugee and asylum-seeking populations, their rights and conditions, as well as more effective and tailored healthcare interventions for them, especially for emergency mental healthcare situations.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec004">
<jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>
<jats:p>All participants perceived that there was disinformation among institutional actors regarding the healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Chile. They also perceived that there were barriers to access to primary care and mental healthcare, which might lead to overuse of emergency services. This study highlights a sense of urgency to protect the social and healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Latin America.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>Since 2010 there has been a growing population of refugees and asylum seekers in Latin America. This study sought to investigate the perceived experiences and healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers of Latin American origin in Chile in order to identify main barriers to healthcare and provide guidance on allied challenges for the public healthcare system.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec002">
<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>Descriptive qualitative case study with semi-structured interviews applied to refugees and asylum seekers (n = 8), healthcare workers (n = 4), and members of Non-Governmental Organizations and religious foundations focused on working with refugees and asylum seekers in Chile (n = 2).</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec003">
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>Although Chilean law guarantees access to all levels of healthcare for the international migrant population, the specific healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers were not adequately covered. Primary care and mental healthcare were the most required types of service for participants, yet they appeared to be the most difficult to access. Difficulties in social integration -including access to healthcare, housing, and education- upon arrival and lengthy waiting times for legal status of refugees also presented great barriers to effective healthcare provision and wellbeing. Healthcare workers and members of organizations indicated the need for more information about refugee and asylum-seeking populations, their rights and conditions, as well as more effective and tailored healthcare interventions for them, especially for emergency mental healthcare situations.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec004">
<jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>
<jats:p>All participants perceived that there was disinformation among institutional actors regarding the healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Chile. They also perceived that there were barriers to access to primary care and mental healthcare, which might lead to overuse of emergency services. This study highlights a sense of urgency to protect the social and healthcare needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Latin America.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
Cite this document
Carreño-Calderón, A., Cabieses, B., & Correa-Matus, M. E. (2020). Individual and structural barriers to Latin American refugees and asylum seekers’ access to primary and mental healthcare in Chile: A qualitative study. PLOS ONE, 15(11), e0241153. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241153
Subjects
chile
;
female
;
health personnel
;
health services accessibility
;
hispanic americans
;
humans
;
latin america
;
male
;
mental health services
;
primary health care
;
qualitative research
;
refugees
;
transients and migrants
;
adult
;
article
;
asylum seeker
;
case study
;
chile
;
health care access
;
health care need
;
health care utilization
;
housing
;
human
;
integration
;
medical education
;
medical information
;
mental health
;
primary health care
;
psychiatric emergency service
;
psychological well-being
;
qualitative research
;
refugee
;
semi structured interview
;
female
;
health care delivery
;
health care personnel
;
hispanic
;
male
;
mental health service
;
migration
;
primary health care
;
psychology
;
refugee
;
south and central america