Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Irregular migrants (IMs) are exposed to a wide range of risk factors for developing mental health problems. However, little is known about whether and how they receive mental health care across European countries. The aims of this st...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2012-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/367 |
| _version_ | 1829497057636777984 |
|---|---|
| author | Straßmayr Christa Matanov Aleksandra Priebe Stefan Barros Henrique Canavan Reamonn Díaz-Olalla José Gabor Edina Gaddini Andrea Greacen Tim Holcnerová Petra Kluge Ulrike Welbel Marta Nicaise Pablo Schene Aart H Soares Joaquim JF Katschnig Heinz |
| author_facet | Straßmayr Christa Matanov Aleksandra Priebe Stefan Barros Henrique Canavan Reamonn Díaz-Olalla José Gabor Edina Gaddini Andrea Greacen Tim Holcnerová Petra Kluge Ulrike Welbel Marta Nicaise Pablo Schene Aart H Soares Joaquim JF Katschnig Heinz |
| author_sort | Straßmayr Christa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Irregular migrants (IMs) are exposed to a wide range of risk factors for developing mental health problems. However, little is known about whether and how they receive mental health care across European countries. The aims of this study were (1) to identify barriers to mental health care for IMs, and (2) to explore ways by which these barriers are overcome in practice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from semi-structured interviews with 25 experts in the field of mental health care for IMs in the capital cities of 14 European countries were analysed using thematic analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Experts reported a range of barriers to mental health care for IMs. These include the absence of legal entitlements to health care in some countries or a lack of awareness of such entitlements, administrative obstacles, a shortage of culturally sensitive care, the complexity of the social needs of IMs, and their fear of being reported and deported. These barriers can be partly overcome by networks of committed professionals and supportive services. NGOs have become important initial points of contact for IMs, providing mental health care themselves or referring IMs to other suitable services. However, these services are often confronted with the ethical dilemma of either acting according to the legislation and institutional rules or providing care for humanitarian reasons, which involves the risk of acting illegally and providing care without authorisation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Even in countries where access to health care is legally possible for IMs, various other barriers remain. Some of these are common to all migrants, whilst others are specific for IMs. Attempts at improving mental health care for IMs should consider barriers beyond legal entitlement, including communicating information about entitlement to mental health care professionals and patients, providing culturally sensitive care and ensuring sufficient resources.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:43:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47a7407eb90b41e098ea25ba4772e65d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T07:43:55Z |
| publishDate | 2012-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-47a7407eb90b41e098ea25ba4772e65d2022-12-21T22:39:01ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582012-05-0112136710.1186/1471-2458-12-367Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcomeStraßmayr ChristaMatanov AleksandraPriebe StefanBarros HenriqueCanavan ReamonnDíaz-Olalla JoséGabor EdinaGaddini AndreaGreacen TimHolcnerová PetraKluge UlrikeWelbel MartaNicaise PabloSchene Aart HSoares Joaquim JFKatschnig Heinz<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Irregular migrants (IMs) are exposed to a wide range of risk factors for developing mental health problems. However, little is known about whether and how they receive mental health care across European countries. The aims of this study were (1) to identify barriers to mental health care for IMs, and (2) to explore ways by which these barriers are overcome in practice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from semi-structured interviews with 25 experts in the field of mental health care for IMs in the capital cities of 14 European countries were analysed using thematic analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Experts reported a range of barriers to mental health care for IMs. These include the absence of legal entitlements to health care in some countries or a lack of awareness of such entitlements, administrative obstacles, a shortage of culturally sensitive care, the complexity of the social needs of IMs, and their fear of being reported and deported. These barriers can be partly overcome by networks of committed professionals and supportive services. NGOs have become important initial points of contact for IMs, providing mental health care themselves or referring IMs to other suitable services. However, these services are often confronted with the ethical dilemma of either acting according to the legislation and institutional rules or providing care for humanitarian reasons, which involves the risk of acting illegally and providing care without authorisation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Even in countries where access to health care is legally possible for IMs, various other barriers remain. Some of these are common to all migrants, whilst others are specific for IMs. Attempts at improving mental health care for IMs should consider barriers beyond legal entitlement, including communicating information about entitlement to mental health care professionals and patients, providing culturally sensitive care and ensuring sufficient resources.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/367Irregular migrantsMental health careAccess to careBarriers to careLegal entitlementOvercoming barriersEurope |
| spellingShingle | Straßmayr Christa Matanov Aleksandra Priebe Stefan Barros Henrique Canavan Reamonn Díaz-Olalla José Gabor Edina Gaddini Andrea Greacen Tim Holcnerová Petra Kluge Ulrike Welbel Marta Nicaise Pablo Schene Aart H Soares Joaquim JF Katschnig Heinz Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome BMC Public Health Irregular migrants Mental health care Access to care Barriers to care Legal entitlement Overcoming barriers Europe |
| title | Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome |
| title_full | Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome |
| title_fullStr | Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome |
| title_short | Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome |
| title_sort | mental health care for irregular migrants in europe barriers and how they are overcome |
| topic | Irregular migrants Mental health care Access to care Barriers to care Legal entitlement Overcoming barriers Europe |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/367 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT straßmayrchrista mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT matanovaleksandra mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT priebestefan mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT barroshenrique mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT canavanreamonn mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT diazolallajose mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT gaboredina mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT gaddiniandrea mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT greacentim mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT holcnerovapetra mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT klugeulrike mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT welbelmarta mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT nicaisepablo mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT scheneaarth mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT soaresjoaquimjf mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome AT katschnigheinz mentalhealthcareforirregularmigrantsineuropebarriersandhowtheyareovercome |