BackgroundYoung people are increasingly seeking employment in the informal sector due to increasing global unemployment. However, the precarious nature of work in the informal sectors, coupled with the high risk of occupational hazards, calls for a greater need for effective healthcare for informal sector workers, particularly young people. In addressing the health vulnerabilities of informal workers, systematic data on the determinants of health is a persistent challenge. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to identify and summarise the existing factors that affect access to healthcare among young people from the informal sector.MethodsWe searched six data databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Crossref, and Google Scholar), which was followed by hand searching. Then we screened the identified literature using review-specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, extracted data from the included studies and assessed study quality. Then we presented the results in narrative form, though meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity in the study design.ResultsAfter the screening, we retrieved 14 studies. The majority were cross-sectional surveys and were conducted in Asia (n = 9); four were conducted in Africa, and one in South America. Samples ranged in size from 120 to 2,726. The synthesised results demonstrate that problems of affordability, availability, accessibility, and acceptability of healthcare were barriers to young informal workers seeking healthcare. We found social networks and health insurance as facilitators of access for this group of people.ConclusionTo date, this is the most comprehensive review of the evidence on access to healthcare for young people in the informal sector. Our study finding highlights the key gaps in knowledge where future research could further illuminate the mechanisms through which social networks and the determinants of access to healthcare could influence the health and well-being of young people and thus inform policy development.

Migrant populations have always been vulnerable to a high burden of social exclusion, mental disorders, physical illnesses, and economic crises. The current COVID-19 pandemic has further created a frantic plight among them, particularly for undocumented migrant workers in the global south. We have conducted a mixed method study among the undocumented Myanmar migrant workers (UMMWs) in Thailand to explore how the COVID-19 disruption has impacted their mental health and what coping strategies they have adopted. Following the onset of COVID-19 and the recent coup d’état in Myanmar, our current study is the first attempt to understand the mental health status and predicament of this neglected migrant group. A total of 398 UMMWs were included in the online survey, of which 23 participated in qualitative interviews. The major mental health issues reported by the study participants were depression, generalized anxiety disorder, frustration, stress, and panic disorders, while loss of employment, worries about the pandemic, social stigma, lack of access to healthcare, lockdown, and fear of detention were the predominant contributing factors. In response, we identified two key coping mechanisms: coping at a personal level (listening to music, playing online game, praying, and self-motivation) and coping at a social level (chatting with family and friends and visiting religious institutions). These findings point to the importance of policy and intervention programs aimed at upholding mental health at such humanitarian conditions. Sustainable institutional mental health care support and social integration for the migrant workers, irrespective of their legal status, should be ensured.

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Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated particular challenges for internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Myanmar, over 1.4 million people are internally displaced due to the escalation of armed conflict post the military coup in February 2021. However, the plight and the well-being of IDPs in Myanmar under this military regime and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic have not garnered much attention locally, regionally, or globally. The current study examines how the military coup has exacerbated the health and well-being of the IDPs in Myanmar more vulnerable and increasing the risk of disease and COVID-19 infection. The study was conducted using Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) referrals, and purposive sampling. A total of 17 IDPs participated in the depth interview. The finding reveals that the IDPs are experiencing anxiety and fear every day which adversely affected their mental health due to the intensification of the armed conflict and attacks on civilian places including the IDP shelters. It has increased their risk of contracting COVID-19, malaria, and dengue fever during precarious living environments. Additionally, the military's restriction of all humanitarian aid, including basic health care, medicine, and food has negatively affected their health and well-being due to food shortages and insufficient access to healthcare. The findings indicated that a major human health disaster and a humanitarian catastrophe can be prevented only if the international community takes immediate action to end the military brutality against its citizens and extends humanitarian assistance, including vaccines to all IDPs.