Abstract
Aging and migration are two trends that shape healthcare access and use in many countries. Older adults in post-migration contexts face many challenges in accessing healthcare services. Emerging literature indicates that they exercise agency via engaging in transnational healthcare practices (THP) to meet their health needs. This study focuses on the nature and scope of THP among refugee older adults. Methods: As part of a larger project that aims to understand THP among refugee older adults, three literature reviews were undertaken: a concept analysis (n= 37 articles) of transnational healthcare; a scoping review (n= 34 articles) on healthcare practices among refugee older adults; and a scoping review (n= 5 articles) on the use of technology for healthcare access among immigrant and refugee older adults.Taken together, these reviews demonstrate that refugee older adults face multiple barriers to accessing and utilizing healthcare services in the post-migration and (re)settlement contexts. These barriers drive them to engage in both travel and non-travel-based THP. Their reliance on THP is shaped by timeliness, linguistic accessibility, cultural competence, affordability, and disparities in individual, family, and community networks between host and home countries. Barriers to access to and use of digital technology play a huge role in their engagement in THP. Implications: Future research is urgently needed to examine THP among refugee older adults from low-middle-income countries. There is also a critical need to examine policy implications of THP in order to better support the health and well-being of diverse populations in a globalised world.
Presenters
Sepali GurugeProfessor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada Areej Al Hamad
Assistant professor, School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada Kateryna Metersky
Associate Director (Collaborative Nursing Degree Program) and Assistant Professor, Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada Hasina Amanzai
Assistant Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada Zhixi Zhuang
Toronto Metropolitan University Cristina Catallo
Associate Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Concept Analysis, Healthcare Access, Scoping Review, Refugee Older Adults
