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ACCESS OF INTERNATIONAL YOUNG MIGRANTS TO HEALTH CARE IN RUSSIA

O. Borodkina, A. Amirkhanian

Abstract

During 2016, the international migration to Russia was consistently increasing as it was observed in recent years. Estimated migration growth is about 280,000 persons per year. Access to medical care is an important measure of the integration of international migrants, thus there is need to study factors facilitating and hampering engagement of migrants into health care as well as to study the ways of obtaining medical care practiced by migrants. The study was realized in Saint Petersburg and in Moscow. Nine expert interviews were conducted among professionals from the organizations providing medical or social support to migrants. In addition, five focus groups among migrants from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine and nine in-depth interviews with migrants from China were conducted. The focus groups and interviews with young international migrants revealed that considerable part of them are not sufficiently aware about their rights in particular that they can get medical care for free if there is threat to life condition. Migrants often do not use already existing opportunities (i.e. to get free medical insurance in case of migration from countries with which Russia has a treaty such as Kyrgyzstan). The young international migrants in Russia currently have limited access to medical care. Timely taking medications could be crucial for maintaining health in case of a chronic disease. Among international young migrants the informal practices of seeking and obtaining medical care are widespread, however they do not bridge the gap between care needs of migrants and the abilities of doctors to provide services to them. Migrants often refuse to obtain medical insurance or usually buy the cheapest medical insurance which covers very limited services. Deferred access to medical care providers and self-treatment practices can lead to worsening of symptoms. The issues of HIV and tuberculosis prevention demand a special attention. There is need to disseminate information among young migrants regarding questions of access to healthcare, HIV and TB disease using languages of migrants as well as about voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) facilities where migrants can get tested for HIV anonymously and for free should be disseminated among migrants.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2017/33/S12.005

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