Structural vulnerability: migration and health in social context

Abstract

Based on the authors' work in Latin America and Africa. This article describes and applies the concept of "vulnerability structural vulnerability" to the challenges of clinical and health care for immigrants. and the challenges of providing health care to immigrants. This concept helps to This concept helps to consider how specific hierarchies and policies produce and shape the and specific policies and policies produce and shape ill health. in two case studies: one on the U.S.-Mexico border and the other in Djibouti. the other in Djibouti. Migrants and service providers of migrants and service providers in migrant systems Migrants and service providers in unequal and sometimes violent global migration systems. shared structural vulnerabilities that differentially affect health and other outcomes. and other outcomes. In response, we argue that providers need specialized training and support; professional associations health institutions, universities and humanitarian organizations humanitarian organizations must work to end the criminalization of medical and humanitarian of medical and humanitarian assistance to migrants; migrants should help lead efforts to reform medical and humanitarian interventions; professional associations, health and humanitarian interventions; and alternative models of care in the Global South to address the vulnerabilities of migrants. in the Global South to address structural vulnerabilities inherent in migration and asylum