Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Background: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising exper...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon, Tan, Sok Teng, Yeo, Jason, Legido-Quigley, Helena
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/69940
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Malaysia
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Urban refugees
Health needs
Health systems
Health policy
Forced migration
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spelling Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative studyChuah, Fiona Leh HoonTan, Sok TengYeo, JasonLegido-Quigley, HelenaMalaysiaRefugeesAsylum-seekersUrban refugeesHealth needsHealth systemsHealth policyForced migrationBackground: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising experts, healthcare professionals and program personnel with professional experience in refugee health issues. Deductive and inductive analyses were conducted to identify themes. Results: Our study identified a broad range of actors involved in the response to refugee health locally, of which a greater alignment of interests, collaboration and sharing of responsibility is needed. From a health systems and policy perspective, financial constraints are among the key challenges in addressing the health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia. While participants reported high quality healthcare being present in Malaysia, this was not affordable to refugees and asylum seekers. Cultural and language discordance are also key challenges faced by healthcare workers in the delivery of services; accentuating the need for greater cultural competence and language support. Improved access to medication is needed for those with chronic illnesses in order to effectively address the comprehensive health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population. Conclusions: Suggested ways forward include adopting a comprehensive health advocacy strategy grounded in the right to healthcare for all; adopting a multi-sectoral approach; tackling the social determinants of health; seeking diversified funding at the global and national level; and improving coordination and collaboration between the various actors.Funding was obtained from A/P Helena Legido-Quigley’s start-up grant from the National University of Singapore and the National University Health System (NUHS) Singapore Population Health Improvement Centre (SPHERiC).MDPI2020202020192020info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésReproducció del document publicat a https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019, vol. 16, num. 9, p. 1-22cc-by (c) Chuah et al., 2019info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/699402026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
spellingShingle Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Malaysia
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Urban refugees
Health needs
Health systems
Health policy
Forced migration
title_short Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_full Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_sort Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
author Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
author_facet Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
author_role author
author2 Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Malaysia
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Urban refugees
Health needs
Health systems
Health policy
Forced migration
topic Malaysia
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Urban refugees
Health needs
Health systems
Health policy
Forced migration
description Background: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising experts, healthcare professionals and program personnel with professional experience in refugee health issues. Deductive and inductive analyses were conducted to identify themes. Results: Our study identified a broad range of actors involved in the response to refugee health locally, of which a greater alignment of interests, collaboration and sharing of responsibility is needed. From a health systems and policy perspective, financial constraints are among the key challenges in addressing the health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia. While participants reported high quality healthcare being present in Malaysia, this was not affordable to refugees and asylum seekers. Cultural and language discordance are also key challenges faced by healthcare workers in the delivery of services; accentuating the need for greater cultural competence and language support. Improved access to medication is needed for those with chronic illnesses in order to effectively address the comprehensive health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population. Conclusions: Suggested ways forward include adopting a comprehensive health advocacy strategy grounded in the right to healthcare for all; adopting a multi-sectoral approach; tackling the social determinants of health; seeking diversified funding at the global and national level; and improving coordination and collaboration between the various actors.
publishDate 2019
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2019
2020
2020
2020
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940
url https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69940
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091584
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019, vol. 16, num. 9, p. 1-22
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by (c) Chuah et al., 2019
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by (c) Chuah et al., 2019
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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