Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals
Introduction: In Europe, Spain has the highest percentage of migrants working in agriculture. Seasonal migrant farmworkers (SMFs) are a vulnerable group in the labor market as they often work in precarious situations that may impact their health. Although all migrants with municipality registrations...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Migration and Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000510 |
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| author | Lena van Selm Iratxe Pérez-Urdiales José Tomás Mateos Maria del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte María del Mar Pastor-Bravo Ana Requena-Méndez Erica Briones-Vozmediano |
| author_facet | Lena van Selm Iratxe Pérez-Urdiales José Tomás Mateos Maria del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte María del Mar Pastor-Bravo Ana Requena-Méndez Erica Briones-Vozmediano |
| author_sort | Lena van Selm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: In Europe, Spain has the highest percentage of migrants working in agriculture. Seasonal migrant farmworkers (SMFs) are a vulnerable group in the labor market as they often work in precarious situations that may impact their health. Although all migrants with municipality registrations, including those in irregular situations, should have access to healthcare according to Spanish law, some barriers limit access to care for migrants. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to SMFs' accessibility to healthcare services at the healthcare system level. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews among a purposive sample of 92 professionals from the health and social support system who work with this population in four regions of Spain. Using Atlas.ti web, we analyzed the transcriptions using a thematic content analysis approach. Results: The main barriers identified were administrative, geographical, time, financial, and healthcare system capacity. Subsequently, SMFs may use emergency care to enter the healthcare system and, for non-urgent issues, some of them were using other people´s documents when using healthcare facilities. Facilitators identified were reducing administrative barriers, providing patient-centered care, and supporting services provided by NGOs. Conclusion: To increase access to healthcare services, more flexibility is required regarding issuing municipality registrations and healthcare cards and appointment schedules. Some of the administrative barriers identified in this study are rooted in municipal authorities not consistently complying with recommendations and regulations by the Spanish government. Therefore, consistent compliance by public officials throughout all regions would be the first step in increasing access to healthcare. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5cfff283fabc4ff586eadc66e080b752 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-6235 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Migration and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-5cfff283fabc4ff586eadc66e080b7522025-08-23T04:49:15ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352025-01-011210035310.1016/j.jmh.2025.100353Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionalsLena van Selm0Iratxe Pérez-Urdiales1José Tomás Mateos2Maria del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte3María del Mar Pastor-Bravo4Ana Requena-Méndez5Erica Briones-Vozmediano6Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Nursing I, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Biscay, Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Biscay, SpainDepartment and faculty of nursing and physiotherapy. Consolidated Research Group in Society, Health, Education and Culture (GESEC), University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain; Research Group in Healthcare (GRECS), Biomedical Research Institute (IRB) Lleida, SpainDepartment of Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, SpainDepartment of Nursing, University of Murcia, Cartagena (Murcia), SpainBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Corresponding author at: Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Solnavägen 17177, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.Department and faculty of nursing and physiotherapy. Consolidated Research Group in Society, Health, Education and Culture (GESEC), University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain; Research Group in Healthcare (GRECS), Biomedical Research Institute (IRB) Lleida, SpainIntroduction: In Europe, Spain has the highest percentage of migrants working in agriculture. Seasonal migrant farmworkers (SMFs) are a vulnerable group in the labor market as they often work in precarious situations that may impact their health. Although all migrants with municipality registrations, including those in irregular situations, should have access to healthcare according to Spanish law, some barriers limit access to care for migrants. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to SMFs' accessibility to healthcare services at the healthcare system level. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews among a purposive sample of 92 professionals from the health and social support system who work with this population in four regions of Spain. Using Atlas.ti web, we analyzed the transcriptions using a thematic content analysis approach. Results: The main barriers identified were administrative, geographical, time, financial, and healthcare system capacity. Subsequently, SMFs may use emergency care to enter the healthcare system and, for non-urgent issues, some of them were using other people´s documents when using healthcare facilities. Facilitators identified were reducing administrative barriers, providing patient-centered care, and supporting services provided by NGOs. Conclusion: To increase access to healthcare services, more flexibility is required regarding issuing municipality registrations and healthcare cards and appointment schedules. Some of the administrative barriers identified in this study are rooted in municipal authorities not consistently complying with recommendations and regulations by the Spanish government. Therefore, consistent compliance by public officials throughout all regions would be the first step in increasing access to healthcare.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000510Transients and migrantsAgricultural workers' diseasesFarmersHealth services accessibilityQualitative Research |
| spellingShingle | Lena van Selm Iratxe Pérez-Urdiales José Tomás Mateos Maria del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte María del Mar Pastor-Bravo Ana Requena-Méndez Erica Briones-Vozmediano Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals Journal of Migration and Health Transients and migrants Agricultural workers' diseases Farmers Health services accessibility Qualitative Research |
| title | Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| title_full | Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| title_fullStr | Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| title_short | Accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in Spain: barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| title_sort | accessibility of healthcare services for seasonal migrant farmworkers in spain barriers and facilitators identified by professionals |
| topic | Transients and migrants Agricultural workers' diseases Farmers Health services accessibility Qualitative Research |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623525000510 |
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