A systematic review to identify key elements of effective public health interventions that address barriers to health services for refugees

Abstract

Aim
Refugees often face barriers to accessing health services, especially after resettlement. The aim of this study is to identify key elements of effective public health interventions that address barriers to health services for refugees.

Methods
Key online databases were searched to identify studies published between 2010 and 2019. Six studies met the inclusion criteria: two qualitative, one quantitative and three mixed-methods studies. An adapted narrative synthesis framework was used which included thematic analysis for systematic reviews.

Results
Five themes were identified: peer support, translation services, accessible intervention, health education and a multidisciplinary approach.

Conclusion
These key elements identified from this review could be incorporated into public health interventions to support refugees’ access to health services. They could be useful for services targeting refugees generally, but also supporting services targeting refugee resettlement programmes such as the Syrian resettled refugees in the UK. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of public health interventions where these elements have been integrated into the intervention.