Migration and Health

On this page

Migration and Health - Defining the Drift

  • Migration: Movement across boundaries for new residence.
    • Types: Internal (inter/intra-state), International; Voluntary, Forced.
  • Urbanization: ↑ population in urban areas.
  • Migrant: Person moving; often young, seeking opportunities.
  • Drivers:
    • Push: Poverty, unemployment, conflict.
    • Pull: Jobs, education, better living.
  • Impact: Slums, peri-urban areas; health disparities. Indian Migrant Population Distribution Map

⭐ As per Census 2011, internal migrants form 37% of India's population; key streams: rural-urban, rural-rural.

Migration and Health - The Vulnerability Web

Migrants face a complex web of vulnerabilities impacting their health.

  • Communicable Diseases: ↑ risk
    • Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS
    • Malaria, Dengue
    • Diarrheal diseases, Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI)
  • Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Growing concern
    • Hypertension, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)
    • Mental Health: Stress, depression, anxiety
  • Malnutrition: Common
    • Under-nutrition (especially women & children)
    • Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA), Vitamin deficiencies
  • Maternal Health: Poor outcomes
    • Low Antenatal Care (ANC) coverage
    • Unsafe deliveries, ↑ Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
  • Child Health: Compromised
    • Low immunization rates
    • High Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) & Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR)
  • Occupational Hazards: Significant risks
    • Injuries, Silicosis, Dermatitis, Pesticide poisoning
  • Other Issues:
    • Substance abuse
    • Accidents & injuries

⭐ Migrants in urban areas often face a 'triple burden' of disease: communicable diseases (e.g., TB), non-communicable diseases (e.g., hypertension), and adverse mental health outcomes due to social and economic stressors.

Migration and Health - Accessing Urban Care

Urban migrants often struggle to access essential healthcare due to multiple interconnected factors. Healthcare access is defined by availability, affordability, acceptability, and quality.

  • Key Barriers to Healthcare Access:
    • Economic: High cost, ↑Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE).
    • Social & Cultural: Discrimination, stigma, exclusion, language differences, cultural beliefs.
    • Legal & Informational: Lack of ID/residence proof, low awareness of services.
    • Systemic: Distance to facilities, inconvenient timings, staff attitudes, transience.
  • Facilitators for Improved Access:
    • Community-based: Social networks, Community Health Workers (e.g., ASHAs).
    • Organizational: NGOs, mobile clinics, targeted health programs.

⭐ Lack of proof of identity/residence, language barriers, and high out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) are critical barriers to healthcare for urban migrants.

Migration and Health - Supporting Migrant Wellbeing

  • Policy & Schemes:
    • National Health Policy: Universal health coverage goal.
    • NUHM: Key provisions for migrant healthcare.

      National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) specifically focuses on providing equitable access to primary healthcare for the urban poor, including vulnerable migrant populations.

    • PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat): Financial protection, benefit portability.
    • ICDS: MCH services for migrant families.
  • Service Delivery & Access:
    • Strengthen primary care: First contact point.
    • Mobile units/camps: Outreach to inaccessible groups.
    • Culturally sensitive healthcare: Addresses diverse needs.
    • ASHA/AWW: Migrant outreach, service linkage.
  • Support Systems:
    • Inter-sectoral coordination: Housing, sanitation, labor.
    • Health education & BCC: Promotes health awareness.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Migrants face a triple burden of disease: communicable, non-communicable, and mental health disorders.
  • Healthcare access for migrants is often limited by socio-economic, legal, and cultural barriers.
  • Occupational hazards in informal sectors significantly impact the health of migrant workers.
  • Migration is driven by push factors (e.g., poverty, conflict) and pull factors (e.g., employment opportunities).
  • Migrants show increased vulnerability to infections like TB, HIV, and vector-borne diseases.
  • Urban slums, frequently inhabited by migrants, pose significant public health challenges.
  • Migration is a key social determinant of health, contributing to health inequities among populations.

Practice Questions: Migration and Health

Test your understanding with these related questions

All are provisions of WHO mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), except:

1 of 5

Flashcards: Migration and Health

1/10

_____ committee is responsible for Urban revamping scheme

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

_____ committee is responsible for Urban revamping scheme

Krishnan

browseSpaceflip

Enjoying this lesson?

Get full access to all lessons, practice questions, and more.

Start Your Free Trial