migrant health promotion

migrant health promotion Migrant health in the context of Public Health comprises policies and practices in relation to mobile populations.
Migrant health not only addresses the needs of migrant populations, but also those of communities hosting migrants.

The number of migrants worldwide is increasing. Moreover,migrants are traveling faster and tomore destinations than ever before. Migration can have effects on the health of those migrating, both in positive and
negative ways. For example, migrants face particular health risks at different stages of the migration process.
At the same time, they may bring along resources that have a protective effect on their health. Immigration can also have health effects on the majority population of the host country. Increasing awareness of these
risks and potentially positive effects has led to the emergence of migration health as a major public health concern.

In the World Migration Report 2005, the IOM defines
migration as “a process of moving, either across an
international border, or within a state. It includesmigration
of refugees, displaced persons, uprooted people
and economic migrants” (IOM 2005). However, there
is considerable ambiguity involved in the definition of
migrants, and there is no definition that is universally
agreed upon. Many countries are using their own definitions
in their classification of travelers and migrants.
International law distinguishes between nationals and
non-nationals, for example, or between citizens, aliens,
and immigrants. It also recognizes other categories
such as refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers. Migrants may be defined by their ethnicity or legal status and migration can be
categorized using parameters of duration, motivation
and distance. Labor migration, refugeemigration, resettlement
migration, internal migration and commuting are common and important categories.Often, migration does not occur directly between two places but involves one or several places of transit.
Some of the reasons why people migrate are to join family members, for economic reasons or to continue their education in other countries. A considerable number are displaced persons, refugees or uprooted people
(refugees and internally displaced people). This Synopsis deals primarily with international migration; for health aspects of internal migration see migration,
internal.
Migration can be voluntary or forced. In voluntary migration, a person or group of persons decide of their own accord to move. The decision could, however, have been brought about by economic or other pressures. In forced migration, on the other hand, the movement is due to external factors such as war, persecution or disaster. Often, push and pull factors, which can be economic, political, cultural, and environmentally based are simultaneously at work,making such classification only theoretical.