"No Papers, No Treatment": a scoping review of challenges faced by undocumented immigrants in accessing emergency healthcare

Abstract

Background Undocumented immigrants face many obstacles in accessing emergency healthcare. Legal uncertainties, economic constraints, language differences, and cultural disparities lead to delayed medical care and thereby exacerbate health inequities. Addressing the healthcare needs of this vulnerable group is crucial for both humanitarian and public health reasons. Comprehensive strategies are needed to ensure equitable health outcomes. Objective This study aimed to identify and analyze the barriers undocumented immigrants face in accessing emergency healthcare services and the consequences on health outcomes. Methods We used a scoping review methodology that adhered to established frameworks. Utilizing MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsychoInfo, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), we identified 153 studies of which 12 focused on the specific challenges that undocumented immigrants encounter when accessing emergency healthcare services based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results The results show that undocumented immigrants encounter significant barriers to emergency healthcare, including legal, financial, linguistic, and cultural challenges. Key findings were the extensive use of emergency departments as primary care due to lack of insurance and knowledge of alternatives, challenges faced by health professionals in providing care to undocumented migrants, increased hospitalizations due to severe symptoms and lack of healthcare access among undocumented patients, and differences in emergency department utilization between irregular migrants and citizens. The findings also serve as a call for enhanced healthcare accessibility and the dismantling of existing barriers to mitigate the adverse effects on undocumented immigrants' health outcomes. Conclusions Undocumented immigrants' barriers to emergency healthcare services are complex and multifaceted and therefore require multifaceted solutions. Policy reforms, increased healthcare provider awareness, and community-based interventions are crucial for improving access and outcomes for this vulnerable population. Further research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions and exploring the broader implications of healthcare access disparities.