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Breaking Down Barriers: Ensuring Healthcare Access for Migrant and Refugee Communities

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 2838

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sana Malik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Welfare, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8230, USA
Interests: social determinants of health; international public health; health systems strengthening; health disparities among minority, immigrant, and refugee populations; health education and behavior; culturally and religiously tailored programming; maternal and child health and welfare; program design and evaluation
Prof. Dr. Miguel Muñoz-Laboy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Welfare, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8230, USA
Interests: social determinants of Latinx health; HIV continuity of care; globalization and migrant health; co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders; bisexual health research; masculinity and structural determinants of substance misuse; social isolation, loneliness, and economic exclusion; medical-legal partnerships; social epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global migration has reached unprecedented levels, with millions of individuals displaced due to conflicts, environmental disasters, economic hardships, and political instability. Access to healthcare services is a fundamental determinant of public health. Despite significant progress in global healthcare systems, barriers to accessing care remain prevalent, particularly for refugees and immigrants. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), millions of displaced individuals face challenges in obtaining essential healthcare services, leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases, untreated chronic conditions, and poor mental health outcomes. These systemic barriers are often compounded by factors such as limited legal status, language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of financial resources.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health explores the multifaceted barriers refugees and immigrants encounter when seeking healthcare services. These obstacles range from legal and policy restrictions, language and cultural differences, and economic constraints to healthcare systems' structural inefficiencies and discrimination. This Special Issue aims to highlight the intersection of these factors and how they exacerbate existing health disparities among refugee and immigrant populations.

Through a collection of interdisciplinary studies and reviews, this Special Issue contributes to a growing body of research seeking to inform policies, interventions, and practices that promote equitable healthcare access for displaced and migrant populations. The contributions will explore diverse geographical contexts, policy environments, and healthcare systems, offering both global and local perspectives on the issue. The dynamic and complex nature of migration, coupled with varying healthcare needs, requires a continuous review and adaptation of healthcare policies and services. Furthermore, they examine innovative strategies and approaches aimed at overcoming these barriers, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between governments, healthcare providers, non-governmental organizations, and refugee communities themselves. New research papers, reviews, case reports, methodological papers, position papers, brief reports (research and/or intervention studies), and commentaries are welcome to this issue.

As we continue to face global migration crises, understanding and addressing the healthcare challenges of refugees and immigrants remain urgent priorities for public health researchers and practitioners alike. It is our hope that this Special Issue serves as a valuable resource for developing innovative and inclusive healthcare policies and practices that respect the dignity and rights of all individuals, regardless of their migration status.

Dr. Sana Malik
Prof. Dr. Miguel Muñoz-Laboy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • immigrant, refugee, and migrant populations
  • healthcare access
  • health disparities
  • health equity
  • healthcare policy
  • social determinants of health
  • cultural barriers to healthcare
  • health and mental health services for displaced populations
  • migrant health challenges
  • global public health
  • healthcare access inequities

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 314 KB  
Article
Building Capacity in Crisis: Evaluating a Health Assistant Training Program for Young Rohingya Refugee Women
by Nada Alnaji, Bree Akesson, Ashley Stewart-Tufescu, Md Golam Hafiz, Shahidul Hoque, Farhana Ul Hoque, Rayyan A. Alyahya, Carine Naim, Sulafa Zainalabden Alrkabi, Wael ElRayes and Iftikher Mahmood
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010127 - 20 Jan 2026
Viewed by 522
Abstract
Background: The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the largest humanitarian emergencies of the 21st century, with nearly one million Rohingya residing in overcrowded camps in southern Bangladesh. Women and children face the greatest vulnerabilities, including inadequate access to education and healthcare, which [...] Read more.
Background: The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the largest humanitarian emergencies of the 21st century, with nearly one million Rohingya residing in overcrowded camps in southern Bangladesh. Women and children face the greatest vulnerabilities, including inadequate access to education and healthcare, which exacerbates their risks and limits opportunities for personal and community development. While international organizations continue to provide aid, resources remain insufficient, particularly in maternal and child healthcare, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable interventions. Objectives: The Hope Foundation for Women and Children in Bangladesh launched a pilot project for the Health Assistant Training (HAT) program to address critical gaps in healthcare and education for the Rohingya community. This nine-month training program equips young Rohingya women with essential knowledge and skills to support maternal health services in both clinical and community settings. Design: We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the HAT Program to explore its acceptance and anticipated benefits for both participants and the community. Methods: The research team used semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and field observations to explore the HAT Program’s impact on young Rohingya women and their community. They analyzed data through thematic analysis, developing a coding framework and identifying key themes to uncover patterns and insights. Results: The results were categorized into four themes: (1) community acceptance of the HAT Program, (2) the HAT Program’s impact on the health assistant trainees, (3) the impact of the HAT Program on the community, and (4) the potential ways to expand the HAT Program. Conclusions: This research underscores the program’s impact on improving healthcare access, enhancing women’s empowerment, and promoting community resilience. By situating this initiative within the broader context of refugee health, education, and capacity-building, this research highlights the HAT program’s potential as a replicable model in Bangladesh and in other humanitarian settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breaking Down Barriers: Ensuring Healthcare Access for Migrant and Refugee Communities)
18 pages, 286 KB  
Article
Language Barriers and Healthcare Challenges for Immigrants with Limited English Proficiency After Health Reform in the United States
by Tiffany D. Joseph and Virginia Martinez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010009 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 670
Abstract
Amid increased immigration enforcement and the rollback of health reform in the United States, immigrants’ healthcare access is at the center of these policy debates. Though previous research has examined the impact of language barriers on healthcare access, few studies have examined it [...] Read more.
Amid increased immigration enforcement and the rollback of health reform in the United States, immigrants’ healthcare access is at the center of these policy debates. Though previous research has examined the impact of language barriers on healthcare access, few studies have examined it since health policies have been implemented. This article explores how various language barriers undermined Latino/a immigrants and citizens’ ability to access coverage and care under comprehensive health reform in the United States. Specifically, this paper examines how language barriers affect: (1) coverage enrollment experiences; (2) navigation of the US healthcare system; and (3) patient-provider interactions. Using interviews from 209 immigrants, healthcare providers, and immigrant and healthcare advocates in Boston, MA, this article shows that language barriers reduced healthcare access for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals despite health reform in three ways: (1) negatively affected coverage enrollment; (2) made it more difficult to navigate the system; and (3) hindered patient-provider interactions. Nevertheless, respondents described immigrants and advocates’ efforts to reduce those barriers and improve healthcare experiences. This article elucidates our understanding of persistent healthcare language barriers despite reforms to increase healthcare access. This article concludes with a discussion regarding how the current socio-political climate will undermine healthcare access in the United States. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breaking Down Barriers: Ensuring Healthcare Access for Migrant and Refugee Communities)
22 pages, 1008 KB  
Article
Perceptions of Health in the Denver Refugee Community: A Mixed-Methods Study
by Katherine Boyd, Jini Puma, Anne Lambert-Kerzner, Benjamin C. Ingman, Maytham Alshadood and Carol E. Kaufman
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(12), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22121876 - 17 Dec 2025
Viewed by 330
Abstract
Refugees often face significant barriers to healthcare access and integration, contributing to poor health outcomes. Although perceptions of health are known predictors of self-reported health status, little is known about how refugees themselves conceptualize health. This study employed a community-engaged, transformative mixed-methods design [...] Read more.
Refugees often face significant barriers to healthcare access and integration, contributing to poor health outcomes. Although perceptions of health are known predictors of self-reported health status, little is known about how refugees themselves conceptualize health. This study employed a community-engaged, transformative mixed-methods design to explore refugee health perceptions in the Denver-metro area. Data collection included 149 surveys and 27 interviews with refugees and asylum seekers conducted between November 2018 and March 2019. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess associations between social determinants of health (SDoH) and self-reported health, while qualitative data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. The final regression model explained 75.8% of the variance in self-reported health (R2 = 0.758, p < 0.001). Significant predictors included country of origin (Burma: −3.419, p = 0.030; Somalia: −9.155, p < 0.001), age (1.901, p < 0.001), sex (male: −3.252, p < 0.001), and education level (−0.999, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings revealed themes such as health as the ability to live life and health as happiness, each shaped by cultural context, community connectedness, and perceptions of safety. Integrating these findings highlights how structural conditions and culturally rooted understandings of well-being intersect to shape refugee health after resettlement. This study underscores the need for public health and clinical interventions that center refugee-defined priorities and suggests future research should incorporate constructs, such as happiness and culturally grounded notions of safety, that emerged as central to health in this study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breaking Down Barriers: Ensuring Healthcare Access for Migrant and Refugee Communities)
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