Dataset Information

Empirical lessons regarding contraception in a protracted refugee setting: A descriptive study from Maela camp on the Thai-Myanmar border 1996 - 2015.

ABSTRACT: Conflict settings and refugee camps can be chaotic places, with large and rapid population movements, exacerbated public health problems, and ad hoc health services. Reproductive health care that includes family planning is of heightened importance in such settings, however, funding and resources tend to be constrained and geared towards acute health services such as trauma management and infectious disease containment. Here we report on the complexities and challenges of providing family planning in a post-emergency refugee setting, using the example of the largest refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border, in existence now for over 30 years. Data from 2009 demonstrates an upward trend in uptake of all contraceptives, especially long acting reversible contraception (LARC) and permanent methods (e.g. sterilization) over time. Increased uptake occurred during periods of time when there were boosts in funding or when barriers to access were alleviated. For example a surgeon fluent in local languages is correlated with increased uptake of tubal ligation in females. These data indicate that funding directed toward contraceptives in this refugee setting led to increases in contraceptives use. However, contraceptive uptake estimates depend on the baseline population which is difficult to measure in this setting. As far as we are aware, this is the longest reported review of family planning services for a refugee camp setting to date. The lessons learned from this setting may be valuable given the current global refugee crisis.

SUBMITTER: Srikanok S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5322876 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Empirical lessons regarding contraception in a protracted refugee setting: A descriptive study from Maela camp on the Thai-Myanmar border 1996 - 2015.

Srikanok Somjet S Parker Daniel M DM Parker Amber L AL Lee Tracey T Min Aung Myat AM Ontuwong Pranee P Oo Tan Saw S Sirinonthachai Supachai S McGready Rose R

PloS one 20170223 2

Conflict settings and refugee camps can be chaotic places, with large and rapid population movements, exacerbated public health problems, and ad hoc health services. Reproductive health care that includes family planning is of heightened importance in such settings, however, funding and resources tend to be constrained and geared towards acute health services such as trauma management and infectious disease containment. Here we report on the complexities and challenges of providing family planni ...[more]

PMID: 28231251

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Project description:BackgroundAlthough policies of Thailand for migrant health protection are inclusive for all migrant groups, due to existing constraints in practices and policy implementation, many migrant children still lack the protection. This study aimed to assess the health insurance status of children aged 0-14 whose parents were cross-border migrant workers in Thailand, and factors related to the status.MethodsA Thai-Myanmar border area, being developed as a 'special economic zone' by the Thai government, was selected as a study site. With a cross-sectional research design, the study collected primary data in late 2018 by a structured questionnaire from 402 migrant households that contained 803 children. The logistic generalized estimating equation (GEE) technique was applied to examine factors associated with the children's health insurance status. These included socio-economic factors, migration factors, and health insurance-related factors.ResultsIt is found that 83.2% of the migrant children did not have health insurance. Factors associated with the health insurance status included age 12-14 years (Odds ratio (OR) 2.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-4.46), having a birth certificate (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.04-3.45), and plan of the family in the future to remain the child in Thailand (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.09-5.17). The primary carer's factors that were important health insurance-related factors included having no legal work permit (OR 4.12, 95% CI 1.88-9.06), having health insurance (OR 8.51, 95% CI 3.93-18.41), little or no ability to communicate in Thai (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.66), and understanding the right of migrant children to purchase health insurance (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.52-4.34).ConclusionsThe findings point to the need for every migrant child to have a birth certificate, diminishing language barriers, and providing education and motivation about the need for health insurance for migrants and their accompanying dependents, especially children. For further studies, it is suggested to include migrant health insurance supply-side factors with qualitative analyses to understand how all the factors interactively determine the health insurance status of migrant children.

Dataset Information

Empirical lessons regarding contraception in a protracted refugee setting: A descriptive study from Maela camp on the Thai-Myanmar border 1996 - 2015.

Publications

Empirical lessons regarding contraception in a protracted refugee setting: A descriptive study from Maela camp on the Thai-Myanmar border 1996 - 2015.

Similar Datasets

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