Resumen de Health accessibility: Quality of life and physical, psychological and social health in the migrant population
Cristina Belén Sampedro Palacios, Yolanda María de la Fuente Robles
, Jesús Hernández Galán
, Virginia Fuentes Gutiérrez
Health and migration are vital parts of the development cycle. Health should be understood not only as a state of physical and psychological well-being, but also of social well-being. Social determinants play a major role in health and, therefore, also in physical and cognitive accessibility. The aim of this study is to link both realities (migration and health), in order to study the variables of quality of life and physical, psychological and social health in the migrant population. There are three main objectives: 1) To understand the perceptions of quality of life and physical, psychological and social health of the migrant population; 2) To identify and describe pathologies and disabilities among migrants; and 3) To determine if there is accessibility to the health system (treatments and control). A quantitative methodology comprising descriptive and correlational analysis was employed. The main tool was a descriptive questionnaire, supported by three scales (The Quality of Life and Health Scale [WHOQOL-BREF]; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale [DASS-21]; and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support [EMAS]) previously validated and proposed by international organizations, such as the World Health Organization. The main results were that levels of quality of life, psychological health and social support are moderate in the migrant population. In addition, 47.3% of the migrant population has a health pathology, with only 29% having access to health resources. The main conclusion is that the presence of pathologies and the lack of disease control among the migrant population is a sign of the need to review the actions implemented by government institutions, such as the Common European Asylum System. In addition, there is a need to make health resources accessible to the entire population regardless of social class.