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. 2014 Sep 26;11(10):9954-63.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph111009954.

Can migration health assessments become a mechanism for global public health good?

Affiliations

Can migration health assessments become a mechanism for global public health good?

Kolitha Wickramage et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Migrant health assessments (HAs) consist of a medical examination to assess a migrant's health status and to provide medical clearance for work or residency based on conditions defined by the destination country and/or employer. We argue that better linkages between health systems and migrant HA processors at the country level are needed to shift these from being limited as an instrument of determining non-admissibility for purposes of visa issuance, to a process that may enhance public health. The importance of providing appropriate care and follow-up of migrants who "fail" their HA and the need for global efforts to enable data-collection and research on HAs are also highlighted.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A basic model showing how the health assessment (HA) is a linked migration process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Health assessment model for international labor migrants showing linkages needed to connect HA processors with national health systems in country of origin and country of destination.

References

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