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Peer-reviewedCC BYPublic health reviews

Discrimination in medical settings as perceived by forcibly displaced people within low- and middle-income countries: a scoping literature review.

  • Kerstin M Grosheintz-Laval1
  • Patrick Kwizera1,2
  • Mirko S Winkler1,2
  1. 1Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.
  2. 2University Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Abstract

Objectives

Forcibly displaced people are among the most vulnerable populations seeking care. Understanding barriers such as perceived discrimination is critical to ensuring access to high-quality care. This review aims to provide an overview of scientific literature on discrimination faced by forcibly displaced people in healthcare settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods

We searched PubMed and Web of Science for peer-reviewed original studies published between March 2010 and March 2025. Screening, data extraction and reporting followed the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews.Results

Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Most (n = 26) applied qualitative methods. Quantitative findings showed that 10%-44% of refugees reported discrimination in healthcare. Qualitative studies described abuse, disparities in care and costs, and negative impacts on mental health and health-seeking behavior related to perceived discrimination.Conclusion

The review revealed significant gaps in research on discrimination against forcibly displaced people in LMICs, emphasizing the urgent need for more robust evidence to inform policymakers. Existing research demonstrates the importance of strengthening health systems, intercultural competence and inclusive policies to ensure respectful, high-quality care for forcibly displaced populations and other migrants.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{grosheintzlaval2026discrimination,
  title = {{Discrimination in medical settings as perceived by forcibly displaced people within low- and middle-income countries: a scoping literature review.}},
  author = {Kerstin M Grosheintz-Laval and Patrick Kwizera and Mirko S Winkler},
  journal = {Public health reviews},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/phrs.2026.1609595},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898341},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Discrimination in medical settings as perceived by forcibly displaced people within low- and middle-income countries: a scoping literature review.
AU  - Kerstin M Grosheintz-Laval
AU  - Patrick Kwizera
AU  - Mirko S Winkler
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/05
JO  - Public health reviews
DO  - 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609595
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898341
AB  - Objectives  Forcibly displaced people are among the most vulnerable populations seeking care. Understanding barriers such as perceived discrimination is critical to ensuring access to high-quality care. This review aims to provide an overview of scientific literature on discrimination faced by forcibly displaced people in healthcare settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods  We searched PubMed and Web of Science for peer-reviewed original studies published between March 2010 and March 2025. Screening, data extraction and reporting followed the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews.Results  Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Most (n = 26) applied qualitative methods. Quantitative findings showed that 10%-44% of refugees reported discrimination in healthcare. Qualitative studies described abuse, disparities in care and costs, and negative impacts on mental health and health-seeking behavior related to perceived discrimination.Conclusion  The review revealed significant gaps in research on discrimination against forcibly displaced people in LMICs, emphasizing the urgent need for more robust evidence to inform policymakers. Existing research demonstrates the importance of strengthening health systems, intercultural competence and inclusive policies to ensure respectful, high-quality care for forcibly displaced populations and other migrants.
SN  - 0301-0422
SN  - 2107-6952
ER  -