Publications Search
This publications portal is a repository of all IOM migration health publications from 2006 to present where IOM was a primary contributor.
Publications include peer-reviewed scientific papers, technical reports, training guides/manuals, policy briefs/discussion papers, factsheets, newsletters, research reviews, conference and poster presentations. These are categorized by topic, author, country/region covered as well as by year, language, and type of publication. The map reflects the countries covered by the publications.
To browse or search: simply use the filter options on the left-hand side. Alternatively, you can enter keyword/s in the search box. Selecting a specific publication will lead to a ‘download’ link or link to the website where the document is housed. Here is the step-by-step guide for your reference.

“We have a lot of home deliveries” A qualitative study on the impact of COVID-19 on access to and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health care among refugee women in urban Eastleigh, Kenya
Author/s: Adelaide M Lusambili, Michela Martini, Faiza Abdirahman, Abena Asante, Sharon Ochieng, Joseph N Guni, Rose Maina, Stanley Luchters
Background
Little is known about how pregnant refugee women, and the frontline health care workers who serve them, are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of health, and health service access. Women refugees are classified as a vulnerable group with regard to pregnancy outcomes and access to maternal care and may be disproportionally at risk for COVID-19 infection as they are likely to face unique barriers to information and access to reproductive health services during…

An immunization program for US-bound refugees: Development, challenges, and opportunities 2012–present
Author/s: Tarissa Mitchell, Warren Dalal, Alexander Klosovsky, Catherine Yen, Christina Phares, Margaret Burkhardt, Farah Amin, Ivan Froes, Amira Hamadeh, Sai Aung Lynn, Judith Quintanilla, Annelise Casano Doney, Martin Cetron, Michelle Weinberg
Background
US-bound refugees undergo required health assessments overseas to identify and treat communicable diseases of public health significance—such as pulmonary tuberculosis—before migration. Immunizations are not required, leaving refugees at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases. In response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of State developed and co-funded a global immunization program for US-bound refugees, implemented in 2012 in…

Reaching out to migrant households during COVID-19 outbreak: the increasing need of social workers in Cambodia
Author/s: Thida Kim, Yao Fu, Sokunnara Thlen, Amaury Peeters, Kolitha Wickramage, Lucy P. Jordan
Cambodia, a lower-middle-income country in Southeast Asia, reported 275 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Despite lower reported cases, COVID-19 impacts Cambodian socio-economic systems in profound ways. With more than 1.1 million Cambodians having migrated abroad and low-income families in rural Cambodia relying heavily on remittances, the sudden loss of jobs caused by the pandemic raised an important question on how migrant households are prioritized among the rising society-wide needs. Given…
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Pre-migration TB screening-the first step is always the hardest
Author/s: A Ohkado, P Douglas, D Zenner, L Kawatsu
Abstract
As the proportion of foreign-born persons among TB notifications continues to rise, Japan is preparing to introduce pre-migration TB screening for those coming from selected countries, who are intending to stay for more than 90 days. It has announced that the programme will commence in 2020. In this review, the authors examine the experiences from two countries which already have years of experience in operating pre-migration TB screening, namely the United Kingdom…
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COVID-19 testing acceptability and uptake amongst the Rohingya and host community in Camp 21, Teknaf, Bangladesh
Author/s: Catherine R. McGowan, Nora Hellman, Sayem Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan, Katherine Newell, Rachael Cummings
Abstract
Facility-based sentinel testing for COVID-19 was implemented in May 2020 to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 amongst the Rohingya and host community in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In response both to low uptake of testing across all camps, and rumours of an outbreak of an influenza-like illness in May/June 2020, the International Organization for Migration (in partnership with ACAPS) undertook a qualitative study to collect accounts from the Rohingya relating to…

Health of refugees and migrants from former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation: a narrative review
Author/s: Nataliia Bakunina, Artyom Gil, Vitaly Polushkin, Boris Sergeev, Margarita Flores, Igor Toskin, Viktoriya Madyanova, Ruslan Khalfin
Abstract
This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles…
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Mission impossible? Harmonising migration health data across countries
Author/s: Dominik Zenner
Abstract
Despite significant efforts, for example within the EU/ EEA, there are currently only few Health information systems (HIS) which are standardized across international borders, and even within countries there can be significant variations. Modalities, technologies and terminologies differ. In the field of migration health, challenges and variations can be more significant. This talk will explore the specific challenges in migration health-…

New Xpert MTB/XDR: added value and future in the field
Author/s: Arnold Bainomugisa, Christopher Gilpin, Christopher Coulter, Ben J. Marais
The spread of DR-TB strains threatens recent gains in global TB control, with evidence that the majority of patients with rifampicin-resistant (RR-TB) or multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) TB acquire their infection through person-to-person transmission. Inadequate diagnostic and treatment options have hampered an effective global response. The use of Xpert MTB/RIF as a rapid and sensitive frontline TB detection test has been shown to improve patient outcomes and is cost-effective, but data for…
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Accessing health services in India: experiences of seasonal migrants returning to Nepal
Author/s: Pratik Adhikary, Nirmal Aryal, Raja Ram Dhungana, Radheyshyam Krishna KC, Pramod Raj Regmi, Kolitha Prabhash Wickramage, Patrick Duigan, Montira Inkochasan, Guna Nidhi Sharma, Bikash Devkota, Edwin van Teijlingen, Padam Simkhada
Background
Migration to India is a common livelihood strategy for poor people in remote Western Nepal. To date, little research has explored the degree and nature of healthcare access among Nepali migrant workers in India. This study explores the experiences of returnee Nepali migrants with regard to accessing healthcare and the perspectives of stakeholders in the government, support organizations, and health providers working with migrant workers in India.
Methods…
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COVID-19: Exposing and addressing health disparities among ethnic minorities and migrants
Author/s: Christina Greenaway, Sally Hargreaves, Sapha Barkati, Christina M. Coyle, Federico Gobbi, Apostolos Veizis, Paul Douglas
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on health disparities and has created an opportunity to address the causes underlying these inequities. Every country has vulnerable populations that require special attention from policymakers in their response to the current pandemic. Inclusive policies that ensure equal access to care for everybody including COVID-19 testing, new therapeutics, and a vaccine (when available) will be critical to protecting the whole population. Migrants living in…
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