Health of migrants in Iran from the perspective of social justice
Citation: Shamsi Gooshki E, Rezaei R, Wild V. Migrants’ Health in Iran from the Perspective of Social Justice: a Systematic Literature Review. Archives of Iranian medicine. 2016;19(10):735-740.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
Funding sources: Nothing noted.
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for publications in English or Persian about migrant health in Iran from a social justice perspective. They searched in June 2012 and found 166 papers on migrants from Afghanistan (146), Pakistani or Iraqi/Kurdish migrants (9), migrants of no specific nationality (10), and non-refugee migrants (1).
What was found: Infectious disease was the most prominent health concern among migrant populations in Iran. High infectious disease rates and high population growth among migrants contributed to the stigmatisation of migrants as a threat to public health in Iran.
Implications: The authors of the review stated that it was important to combat the high rates of infection among migrants in Iran, while simultaneously taking steps to modify the popular perception of migrants as a threat to public safety. They suggested the need for more studies of infectious diseases among migrants, and the development of anti-discrimination guidelines.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their findings in the context of place of residence, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and social capital.
This summary was prepared by Isabelle Tahmazian, checked by Sneha Bhadti, and finalized by William Summerskill.