Study offers roadmap to improve data collection on migrant and refugee health in Europe

Despite increasing global mobility, the state of migrant and refugee health data in European health systems remains worrying, according to a new study. Analysis by an international coalition of universities, UN organizations, government officials and European institutions published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health Europe reveals that data coverage on migrants and refugees remains inconsistent and of suboptimal quality. According to the study, this problem is not due to a lack of knowledge or technological resources, but rather stems from multiple political and structural factors at local, national and European levels that hinder the effective implementation of existing guidelines. The coalition, led by Bielefeld University in Germany and Uppsala University in Sweden, offers a roadmap for European policymakers and health systems to improve the situation.

“Migrant and refugee health data are more than just statistics. It’s about human lives and well-being, but also about inequalities that go unnoticed if health needs are not measured,” says Professor Dr Kayvan Bozorgmehr. According to him, health systems committed to Inclusive and equitable healthcare must ensure that migrants and refugees are not systematically excluded from data collection systems.

Bozorgmehr and his colleague Dr. Soorej Puthoopparambil of Uppsala University led the international coalition of authors including ten European universities, three national public health agencies, three World Health Organization collaborating centers, as well as several United Nations (UN) institutions and agencies such as the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The article was produced as part of the activities of the Lancet Migration European Hub and published in the medical journal The Lancet Regional Health. The study reveals glaring gaps in the inclusion of migrants and refugees in national data collection systems, which the authors say prevents these groups from exercising their basic human rights and prevents governments from creating societies inclusive and healthy. One of the main findings of the study is that the existing disparity in data collection reflects the low political priority given to this topic and the complex governance challenges related to migration and displacement.

In response to the gaps identified in current health information systems, the authors propose a roadmap to bridge the gap between knowledge and action. They propose four critical approaches for European health systems:

1. Systematic data collection: Implement strategies to ensure that data on the health of migrants and refugees are collected, analyzed and disseminated systematically, thereby filling existing gaps and informing evidence-based policy decisions.
2. Privacy Guarantees and Data Integration: Capitalize on methods that protect privacy while making it easy to link data from diverse sources to generate comprehensive data at relatively low cost. This requires ensuring that the highest standards of data protection are met.
3. Inclusive survey methods: Adopt methods that take into account the diverse needs and backgrounds of migrant and refugee populations when conducting surveys.
4. Empowerment through engagement: involving migrants and refugees in decision-making about their health and health data. Their voices should shape policies and practices that directly impact their lives.

The WHO European Region hosts approximately 36 percent of the global international migrant population. The study highlights that the health of migrants and refugees is an issue that cannot be ignored.

Countries need to move from ad hoc to systematic approaches to proactively include migrants and refugees in health information systems, thereby promoting health equity.

Soorej Puthoopparambil

This involves capitalizing on existing data sources while leveraging new ones. The report proposes a change management approach to narrow the gap between knowledge and action, building a bridge to truly inclusive health policies and practices for migrants and refugees. “By doing so, societies will not only promote the well-being of migrants and refugees, but they will also better meet the public health needs of their societies and promote equity in European health systems,” says Kayvan Bozorgmehr.