Evidence Aid Bulletin: 9 April 2024
Welcome to Evidence Aid’s April 2024 bulletin.
With the recent passing of World Health Day, this month’s edition will spotlight the multifaceted impacts experienced by forced migrants, refugees and asylum seekers amidst humanitarian crises. Evidence Aid, recognizing the significance of evidence-backed decision-making, stands in solidarity with World Health Day, advocating for knowledge-driven policymaking, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.
Globally, 84 million international migrants are forcibly displaced individuals. This number will rise due to intersectional factors (poverty, security concerns, access to basic necessities and services, conflicts, environmental disasters, and degradation). Migration inherently presents challenges, leading to deteriorating health outcomes. As the global situation deteriorates, we need to understand the multilayered needs, barriers and realities of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to enhance preparedness in supporting this population effectively. The following summaries encompass various topics, including the unique vulnerabilities experienced by migrating women during the COVID-19 pandemic, severe maternal outcomes in migrating women and medication adherence among immigrants and refugees.
We hope this month’s bulletin has been informative and enjoyable to read. We extend our gratitude for your ongoing support and readership. To receive notifications about the bulletin and/or newsletter releases, kindly reach out to Jane Copsey at info@evidenceaid.org. Additionally, if you value our work and believe in its significance, please consider donating here.
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Vulnerability of migrant women during COVID-19
In this scoping review, the authors investigated how migrant women are vulnerable during disasters, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their findings revealed that migrant women face a variety of challenges and impacts resulting from migration, including fraud, gender-based violence, legal status uncertainties, poverty, educational barriers, religious concerns, mental and physical well-being strains and limited access to care. The authors stressed the importance of prioritizing social determinants of health in disaster preparedness efforts, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups such as women.
Citation: Trentin M, et al. Vulnerability of migrant women during disasters: a scoping review of the literature. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2023;22:135.
Read the full summary in our Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Collection.
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Migration and severe maternal outcomes in high-income countries
In this systematic review, the authors investigated the connection between migration and severe maternal outcomes in high-income countries. Their findings revealed that severe material outcomes among migrants varied depending on their country and regional origins. In Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia, migrant women experienced higher maternal mortality rates compared to native-born women, whereas in the United States, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, they did not. The authors of this review emphasized the need for more specific interventions and policies to adequately support migrant women and reduce severe maternal outcomes.
Citation: Eslier M, et al. Association between migration and severe maternal outcomes in high-income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine. 2023 Jun 22;20(6):e1004257.
Read the full summary in our Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Collection.
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Adherence to medicines among immigrants and refugees
The authors of this systematic review investigated the medication adherence rates among adult immigrants and refugees. They found lower rates of adherence in immigrants and refugees compared to both migrant and native populations. Factors that led to these rates included therapy, healthcare system structure, health conditions, socioeconomic factors and cultural behaviours, and beliefs around medication. These findings suggest a need to address barriers hindering medication adherence and a call for further research to investigate the effect of nonadherence on clinical outcomes in those populations.
Citation: Patel D, et al. Medicine Adherence and Associated Factors in Immigrants and Refugees: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Clinical Practice. 2022;2022:993066.
Read the full summary in our Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers collection.
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Thank you for taking the time to review this month’s bulletin. We hope that our summaries provide knowledgeable perspectives that help bring attention to important issues. For a deeper look into our resources and further insights, explore our various collections here.
From,
Your Evidence Aid team