Health Policy
Volume 114, Issue 2-3, 2014, Pages 215-225

Sexual and reproductive health of migrants: Does the EU care? (Review) (Open Access)

Keygnaert I.* , Guieu A. , Ooms G. , Vettenburg N. , Temmerman M. , Roelens K.
  • a ICRH - Faculty of Medicine and oHealth Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, ICRH-Ugent, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
  • b ICRH - Faculty of Medicine and oHealth Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, ICRH-Ugent, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
  • c ICRH - Faculty of Medicine and oHealth Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Public Health, Antwerp, Belgium, ICRH-Ugent, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Public Health, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
  • d Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, Sociale Agogiek Ugent, H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
  • e ICRH - Faculty of Medicine and oHealth Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, ICRH-Ugent, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
  • f ICRH - Faculty of Medicine and oHealth Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, ICRH-Ugent, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Abstract

The European Union (EU) refers to health as a human right in many internal and external communications, policies and agreements, defending its universality. In parallel, specific health needs of migrants originating from outside the EU have been acknowledged. Yet, their right to health and in particular sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is currently not ensured throughout the EU. This paper reflects on the results of a comprehensive literature review on migrants' SRH in the EU applying the Critical Interpretive Synthesis review method.We highlight the discrepancy between a proclaimed rights-based approach to health and actual obstacles to migrants' attainment of good SRH. Uncertainties on entitlements of diverse migrant groups are fuelled by unclear legal provisions, creating significant barriers to access health systems in general and SRH services in particular. Furthermore, the rare strategies addressing migrants' health fail to address sexual health and are generally limited to perinatal care and HIV screening. Thus, future European public health policy-making should not only strongly encourage its Member States to ensure equal access to health care for migrants as for EU citizens, but also promote migrants' SRH effectively through a holistic and inclusive approach in SRH policies, prevention and care. © 2013 The Authors.

Author Keywords

sexual health Migration Migrants human rights inequity Policy Development European Union

Index Keywords

refugee public health service health care policy health disparity Health Status Disparities human HIV test health service screening test Health Services Needs and Demand human rights Humans conceptual framework Review European Union sexual health uncertainty migration health care access Reproductive Health preventive medicine Perinatal Care Health Policy health care system Transients and Migrants Healthcare Disparities health care disparity Health Services Accessibility health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84892642294&doi=10.1016%2fj.healthpol.2013.10.007&partnerID=40&md5=2654d77ef3a138b654e24202ac99298e
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.10.007
ISSN: 01688510
Cited by: 27
Original Language: English