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Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Background: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising exper...

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Main Authors: Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon, Tan, Sok Teng, Yeo, Jason, Legido-Quigley, Helena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI 2019
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/1/38375.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/9/1584
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spelling my.upm.eprints.383752020-05-04T16:25:18Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/ Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon Tan, Sok Teng Yeo, Jason Legido-Quigley, Helena Background: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising experts, healthcare professionals and program personnel with professional experience in refugee health issues. Deductive and inductive analyses were conducted to identify themes. Results: Our study identified a broad range of actors involved in the response to refugee health locally, of which a greater alignment of interests, collaboration and sharing of responsibility is needed. From a health systems and policy perspective, financial constraints are among the key challenges in addressing the health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia. While participants reported high quality healthcare being present in Malaysia, this was not affordable to refugees and asylum seekers. Cultural and language discordance are also key challenges faced by healthcare workers in the delivery of services; accentuating the need for greater cultural competence and language support. Improved access to medication is needed for those with chronic illnesses in order to effectively address the comprehensive health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population. Conclusions: Suggested ways forward include adopting a comprehensive health advocacy strategy grounded in the right to healthcare for all; adopting a multi-sectoral approach; tackling the social determinants of health; seeking diversified funding at the global and national level; and improving coordination and collaboration between the various actors. MDPI 2019 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/1/38375.pdf Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon and Tan, Sok Teng and Yeo, Jason and Legido-Quigley, Helena (2019) Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (9). art. no. 1584. pp. 1-21. ISSN 1661-7827; ESSN: 1660-4601 https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/9/1584 10.3390/ijerph16091584
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
description Background: This study was conducted to examine the responses and challenges in addressing the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia from a health systems and policy perspective. Methods: Twenty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants comprising experts, healthcare professionals and program personnel with professional experience in refugee health issues. Deductive and inductive analyses were conducted to identify themes. Results: Our study identified a broad range of actors involved in the response to refugee health locally, of which a greater alignment of interests, collaboration and sharing of responsibility is needed. From a health systems and policy perspective, financial constraints are among the key challenges in addressing the health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia. While participants reported high quality healthcare being present in Malaysia, this was not affordable to refugees and asylum seekers. Cultural and language discordance are also key challenges faced by healthcare workers in the delivery of services; accentuating the need for greater cultural competence and language support. Improved access to medication is needed for those with chronic illnesses in order to effectively address the comprehensive health needs of the refugee and asylum-seeker population. Conclusions: Suggested ways forward include adopting a comprehensive health advocacy strategy grounded in the right to healthcare for all; adopting a multi-sectoral approach; tackling the social determinants of health; seeking diversified funding at the global and national level; and improving coordination and collaboration between the various actors.
format Article
author Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
spellingShingle Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
author_facet Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
Tan, Sok Teng
Yeo, Jason
Legido-Quigley, Helena
author_sort Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon
title Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_short Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_full Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia: a qualitative study
title_sort health system responses to the health needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in malaysia: a qualitative study
publisher MDPI
publishDate 2019
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/1/38375.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38375/
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/9/1584
_version_ 1665895980240732160
score 13.211869

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