Engaging with Migrant Communities: A Framework for Action

Abstract

Migrants have disproportionately higher rates of morbidity and mortality when compared to the host population and this reflects the reality of health inequalities in many countries. It is imperative to engage with communities to identify their needs and to include these in the delivery of public health programs and health care services. The aim of this paper is to outline a new approach that systematically ensures that vulnerable groups, such as migrants, can become actively involved and are not simply the passive recipients of program activities. The community engagement framework is based on practical experiences of working in a cross-cultural context in both rural and urban settings and is implemented as seven key steps: 1. stakeholder connection; 2. communication; 3. needs assessment; 4. informing the wider community; 5. strengthening community capacity; 6. building partnerships; and, 7. follow-up. The framework offers a flexible template that can be used to engage with vulnerable groups in future public health programs.

Keywords

• vulnerable communities
• migrants
• public health
• community engagement
• policy
• inequalities