In:
International Migration Review, SAGE Publications, Vol. 55, No. 3 ( 2021-09), p. 812-842
Abstract:
Because of their often-dramatic, life-threatening flight patterns and resulting pronounced health disparities, many refugees have a great need for medical treatment after arrival to their host countries. In Germany, refugees whose asylum application is not approved or whose duration of stay has not yet exceeded 15 months must request doctor visits, with a considerable amount of bureaucracy, from the local responsible authority. Since 2016, however, several federal states and municipalities in Germany have introduced electronic health cards ( eHCs) which give refugees immediate and unbureaucratic access to the healthcare system. We examine whether being eligible for eHCs because of this policy change had an effect on multidimensional health indicators for refugees in Germany. For empirical identification, we take advantage of variation in policy adoption across German regions and over time. Relying on the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees, we find that being eligible for eHCs because of the policy change improved the mental well-being and subjective health assessment of recently arrived refugees, while having no impact on physical health status. These results can be traced back to the moderating effect of facilitated healthcare access on post-migration stress, which is known to affect primarily psychological well-being. Moreover, facilitated healthcare access appears to alleviate potential language and cultural barriers faced by refugees with low health literacy (measured by the ability to read or write in the origin-country language). Altogether, the article illustrates how structural and institutional constraints may shape individual health outcomes of adult refugees.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0197-9183
,
1747-7379
DOI:
10.1177/0197918320980413
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3510-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2052202-2
SSG:
7,36
SSG:
3,4
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