Creation of the Korean Model of Migrant Health-Medical Care System
This study purports to create a migrant health-medical care system for South Korea by developing a model and health related information hub through transdisciplinary epidemiological e ...
Creation of the Korean Model of Migrant Health-Medical Care System
This study purports to create a migrant health-medical care system for South Korea by developing a model and health related information hub through transdisciplinary epidemiological examinations of health and medical care of migrant workers, refugees, and international marriage migrants by a research team of medical scientists, cultural anthropologists, and sociologists.
In the first phase of the study, reviews of medical records accumulated at a migrant health clinic, analyses of statistics of migrant workers, refugees, and international marriage migrants, socio-cultural and psychological surveys of various migrant communities, interviews, literature review of community health workers were conducted.
As a result, a comprehensive conclusion was made that migrants settle and live in South Korea with good health when they enter but experience mental stresses like anxiety, depression and feelings of discrimination due to various environmental, structural and socio-cultural factors as time passes. More important, these experiences can lead to cardiovascular problems or a high risk of suicide. The research team also concludes that these negative health situations for migrants will not only become a major obstacle to realizing social integration as Korean society move towards a multicultural society, but also increase social and economic burdens.
Healthy lives of migrants are one of the fundamental foundations for Korean society to become a more stable multicultural society. Therefore, it is necessary to not only prevent mental stresses, cardiovascular problems, and suicides, but also develop various institutions and programs to promote better communication, information exchange such as self-help health programs for various migrant communities, and public health institutions for migrant health rights.
The final goal of this study is to create a Korean model of migrant health-medical care system. However, that does not mean there is such an essentialist model fitted for an inherent Korean culture and social characteristics. In the context of global migration, what is needed is a transnational and fluid model that seeks to identify the interconnections of Korean economy and society to the world and re-examine and overcome the Korean legal system that makes migrants to integrate into Korean society difficult. In this regard, this study aims to become a bridge between migration and health and between various global health issues.