European Journal of Public Health
Volume 27, Issue 5, 2017, Pages 869-873

Restricted health care entitlements for child migrants in Europe and Australia (Article) (Open Access)

Stubbe Østergaard L. , Norredam M. , Mock-Munoz De Luna C. , Blair M. , Goldfeld S. , Hjern A.*
  • a Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU), Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • b Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU), Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • c Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU), Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • d Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
  • e Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
  • f Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden, Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Background More than 300 000 asylum seeking children were registered in Europe alone during 2015. In this study, we examined entitlements for health care for these and other migrant children in Europe and Australia in a framework based on United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Methods Survey to child health professionals, NGO's and European Ombudspersons for Children in 30 EU/EEA countries and Australia, supplemented by desktop research of official documents. Migrant children were categorised as asylum seekers and irregular/undocumented migrants. Results Five countries (France, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain) explicitly entitle all migrant children, irrespective of legal status, to receive equal health care to that of its nationals. Sweden and Belgium entitle equal care to asylum seekers and irregular non-EU migrants, while entitlements for EU migrants are unclear. Twelve European countries have limited entitlements to health care for asylum seeking children, including Germany that stands out as the country with the most restrictive health care policy for migrant children. In Australia entitlements for health care are restricted for asylum seeking children in detention and for irregular migrants. The needs of irregular migrants from other EU countries are often overlooked in European health care policy. Conclusion Putting pressure on governments to honour the obligations of the UNCRC and explicitly entitle all children equal rights to health care can be an important way of advocating for better access to primary and preventive care for asylum seeking and undocumented children in Australia and the EU. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee Australia Europe human Refugees statistics and numerical data comparative study Humans Adolescent Infant, Newborn male female preschool child Infant Child, Preschool newborn legislation and jurisprudence migration Transients and Migrants Healthcare Disparities health care disparity Health Services Accessibility health care delivery Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85030792782&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fckx083&partnerID=40&md5=11ae62669702e343e76d993db633f919
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx083
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English