A comparative analysis of barriers to healthcare access for refugees and non-refugees in hosting communities in Bangladesh and Uganda

Forced migration is increasing and disproportionately affects the health of refugees and communities hosting them, especially in low and middle income countries.

This often places stress on resources and infrastructure, such as healthcare services in hosting communities, which are often already overstretched.

Further research is required to explore the healthcare impacts felt by low and middle-income countries hosting refugees.This research uses a mixed-methods approach to analyze and compare the barriers associated with healthcare access between refugees and non-refugees living in Bangladesh and Uganda, with the intent to identify factors associated with inequality in healthcare access and solutions thereof.

The comparison will indicate how the barriers operate and associate differently to access health services between the groups.

The patterns among the barriers and factors associated with it, such as determinants of health, will also be analyzed within the dimensions of the patient-centered access to healthcare framework.

Secondary analysis of survey data from UNHCR will be used to explore the first part of the study.Using an emergent design, the second half of the study will explore how refugees, non-refugees and healthcare providers, in hosting communities work with the barriers to access healthcare. Data will be collected through interviews and focus groups in Bangladesh and Uganda.

An understanding of how these barriers operate will identify areas for intervention.