The CINEFOGO researchers have analyzed the theme of immigrants’ health by three different perspectives. The first concentrated on the production of immigrants’ rights to health by analyzing the inclusion of legal and illegal immigrants in different countries. The second focuses in the difficulties in access to healthcare services, and the third on the role of non institutional actors in the decision-making process over public policies.

Specialized literature has broadly documented the “healthy migrant effect” characterized by the first immigration flows in Europe which were usually young healthy adults with a good level of education - helpful characteristics in assuring notable maintenance of the health heritage. However, the researchers argue that: “The “healthy migrant effect” has recorded a lessening and the heritage of health is decreased, probably due to the exclusion from health care suffered by immigrants”.

Although each EU Member State has its distinct patterns of immigration and distinguished welfare regimes that make it difficult to set general terms, the researchers, amongst other things, recommend to:

1. Ensure the access to healthcare for legal and illegal immigrants as a condition for the public health of the EU and the European Member States
2. Face difficulties in administrative procedures. Paying attention to the negative effects of discriminatory practices and lack of adequate information on health

Working paper and presentation are available to download from the CINEFOGO database:
http://cinefogo.cuni.cz/index.php?&w=50&srch=WP28&id_result=60038

Contact:
Scientific Communication Officer

Julia Miljevic
E-mail juliamil@ruc.dk